Rajshahi: Two-year-old Sazid Hossain, who tragically passed away after falling into a 42-foot shaft, was laid to rest in his native village of Koelhat under Tanore upazila. The young boy's burial took place at the local Nekkiri Graveyard following his namaj-e-janaja, attended by a large number of mourners who gathered to pay their last respects.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the incident occurred around 1 pm on Wednesday when Sazid accidentally fell into the abandoned shaft while walking with his mother, Runa Khatun. A grueling 32-hour rescue operation ensued as multiple Fire Service teams worked tirelessly to retrieve the child. The rescue team finally reached Sazid at approximately 9:07 pm on Thursday and rushed him to the nearest hospital, briefly reviving the hopes of his family and the villagers.
However, those hopes were shattered when Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Barnabas Hasdak declared that Sazid had been "brought dead to the hospital." The rescue effort was fraught with challenges, including soil collapsing into the pipe during initial attempts by villagers, which slowed the operation. A special camera lowered into the shaft got stuck at the 35-foot level, complicating efforts to locate the child. Throughout the mission, rescuers supplied oxygen through the pipe and employed various methods to try to reach Sazid.
Rajshahi Fire Service Assistant Director Didarul Alam informed that despite these obstacles, the rescue teams continued their relentless efforts, assisted by the Army, police, and the upazila administration. Tanore Police Station officer-in-charge Shahinuzzaman emphasized the collaborative nature of the operation, which ultimately ended in heartbreak when Sazid was pronounced dead.