A 40-year-old housewife died after reportedly suffering an electric shock while cooking rice in a rice cooker at her home in Sherpur Sadar upazila on Saturday evening.
The incident took place at around 6.30pm at a house in the Fakirpara area of Pakuria Union, according to Mohammad Sohel Rana, officer-in-charge of Sherpur Sadar Police Station.
The deceased was identified as Kulsum Akter Bhuli, wife of Furkan Ali and a mother of two sons and a daughter. Her parental home and her in-laws’ residence are located in neighbouring areas.
According to her family, Kulsum was preparing rice using an electric rice cooker at home when she suddenly suffered an electric shock from the appliance. Family members immediately rescued her and took her to the 250-bed Sherpur District Sadar Hospital for treatment.
However, doctors at the hospital declared her dead after she was brought to the emergency department.
Dr Tanvir Ahmed, the medical officer at the hospital’s emergency department, confirmed her death. He said an apparent electric shock mark was found on her hand, consistent with the family’s account of the incident.
Police said they were informed about the death and subsequently took steps in accordance with the law. An unnatural death case has been filed in connection with the incident, according to the officer-in-charge.
The family later submitted an application seeking permission to bury the body without a post-mortem examination. Following the application, police handed over the body to the family for burial.
The incident has also highlighted the risks associated with household electrical appliances, particularly when they are used with damaged wiring, faulty plugs, poor earthing or in damp surroundings. Rice cookers and other kitchen appliances are commonly used in homes, but any malfunction in their electrical components can pose a serious safety hazard.
Police did not immediately disclose whether the rice cooker or the household electrical connection had any technical fault. The circumstances surrounding the incident will form part of the official investigation.
