Woman dies after falling into open drain hidden by floodwaters in Bangladesh
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A woman in Bangladesh died after falling into an open drain concealed by heavy rainfall and accumulated water.
- The drain was part of the BRT project and was submerged due to waterlogging on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
- This is the second such fatal incident in the area within a year, raising concerns about infrastructure safety.
A tragic incident occurred yesterday evening on the Bhogra Bypass area of Gazipur City Corporation, Bangladesh, where a 26-year-old woman, Nazma Khatun, lost her life after falling into an uncovered drain. The drain, a component of the ongoing BRT project, was submerged under rainwater due to severe waterlogging on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway following heavy rainfall.
Eyewitnesses reported that Nazma, unaware of the hidden danger beneath the accumulated water, stepped into the flooded area and was swept away by the strong current. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene and managed to recover her body approximately 40 minutes after she fell, finding it some distance from the initial location.
She was transported to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by the attending physician. The body has since been kept at the hospital morgue. Police are attempting to locate her relatives in Gazipur and have notified authorities in her home district of Satkhira.
This incident echoes a similar tragedy that occurred in Tongi, Gazipur, on July 27 last year, when a woman named Faria Tasnim disappeared after falling into an open drain. Her body was recovered three days later from a wetland about a kilometer away. These recurring events highlight serious safety concerns regarding uncovered construction site drains, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and subsequent waterlogging.
Firefighters recovered Nazma's body about 40 minutes after she fell into the drain. The body was found some distance away from the spot where she had fallen.
Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.