Two Sisters Drown in Netrokona During Wedding

Two young sisters drowned in a pond in the Mohanganj Upazila of Netrokona district on Friday, 19 June 2026, whilst their family was occupied with wedding preparations. The incident occurred in the afternoon in Pabai village, located within the Barkashia-Birampur Union.

The deceased have been identified as seven-year-old Niha Akter and three-year-old Noha Akter. They were the daughters and only children of Nijam Uddin, a local hand-trolley driver.

According to family members and local residents, the household was hosting the wedding ceremony of Nijam Uddin’s niece on Friday. Due to the various tasks and festivities associated with the wedding, family members were fully occupied. Taking advantage of the busy environment, the two sisters went to bathe in the pond situated in front of their house during the afternoon, where they subsequently submerged and drowned.

The situation came to light when local residents spotted one of the children floating in the water and raised an alarm. Family members rushed to the scene and retrieved both children from the pond. The sisters were immediately transported to the Mohanganj Upazila Health Complex, where the attending physician declared them dead upon arrival.

The incident has highlighted an operational dispute between local law enforcement and medical authorities regarding reporting protocols for unnatural deaths. Mohammad Hafizul Islam Harun, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mohanganj Police Station, stated that law enforcement dispatched officers to the scene only after being informed of the deaths by local residents. He noted that the health complex failed to comply with the standard regulatory requirement to officially notify the police of such casualties.

Dr Momenul Islam, the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, acknowledged the lapse in communication. He stated that he had previously held multiple meetings instructing all medical staff and physicians to immediately notify the police in cases of unnatural or accidental deaths, but noted that the duty personnel failed to heed these directives during this incident.

Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Amena Khatun addressed the administrative oversight, confirming that the health complex is legally obligated to inform the police under such circumstances. She stated that the negligence of the duty personnel has been formally communicated to the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, expressing her expectation that appropriate disciplinary or corrective measures will be enforced.

Incident and Administrative Overview