Child missing as river in Koira devours homesteads
A five-year-old child went missing and five others received injuries as the Shakbaria river devoured their homesteads in Koira upazila of Khulna district at midnight on Wednesday.
The missing child Aasia, 5, daughter of Yasin Gazi of Koira Sadar Union, could not be traced as of 5:00pm yesterday. The injured rescued by the boatmen at the time of incident are now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College and Hospital (KMCH).
The incident occurred at around 11:50pm when Yasin Gazi and his younger brother Hossain Gazi along with their family members were asleep. Boatmen also rescued both Yasin and Hossain.
Of the injured, condition of Jamila Khatun, wife of Hossain Gazi, and Asma Khatun, wife of Yasin Gazi, is still critical, attending doctors said.
According to Koira Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Md Shahabuddin Ahmed, erosion by the Shakbaria river has became more serious after cyclonic storm Aila.
At least 60 to 70 percent homesteads and all embankments in the area were completely damaged by Aila on May 2009, rendering a large number of families homeless.
The chairman said the lone model primary school at his union still remains inundated. Apart from the primary school, all other academic institutions including a high school, a technical college, a girls' high school, two degree colleges, two madrasas and two Kindergartens in Koira upazila go under water at the time of high tide everyday, he added.
Koira upazila Parishad Chairman Mohsin Reza said the Shakbaria river has devoured East Mathbari registered primary school as Pabna embankment collapsed after Aila is yet to be rebuilt.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments