A 10-month-old infant and a 12-year-old girl were killed in separate landslides in Sitakunda and the city’s Panchlaish area on Wednesday morning amidst heavy monsoon rainfall.
These latest fatalities follow the deaths of a young man and a woman on Tuesday afternoon. The man died in a wall collapse in Rahman Nagar, while the woman was killed when a landslide struck a house in the Isakhali Guchhagram area of Rangunia.
Five others were reported injured in these incidents. The recurring tragedies have renewed concerns regarding the safety of residents living in high-risk settlements at the foot of the hills.
In Sitakunda, a portion of a hill collapsed onto a house in the No 6 Samaj area near Alinagar, Jangal Salimpur Union, at approximately 10am on Wednesday. The incident claimed the life of an infant, Md Ashraful Islam Tanvir, the son of Mohin Uddin.
The child’s mother was also injured but has returned home after receiving primary medical treatment.
Md Mohinul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sitakunda Police Station, confirmed that heavy rain caused the soil to collapse onto the house. He stated that necessary legal measures are being taken regarding the incident.
Local residents alleged that numerous families have long been living at risk in the rootless settlements adjacent to the hills of Jangal Salimpur.
Despite the annual threat of landslides during the monsoon, they claimed that no effective initiatives have been taken to remove or rehabilitate these vulnerable households to safer locations.
Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Fakhrul Islam noted that the risk of landslides has escalated due to heavy downpours. He urged those living at the foot of the hills to remain alert and move to safer shelters if necessary.
Earlier that morning, at around 9am, another landslide occurred in the Mayor Gali area of Chashma Hill, specifically at the end of Yakub Ali Mosque’s 3 No. Gali in Panchlaish. Sumaiya Akter, 12, daughter of Md Faruk and a resident of the local Babu’s Colony, was killed.
The site is located within Muktijoddha Hill in Ward No 8 (Shulakbahar) of Chattogram City Corporation.
Panchlaish Police OC Md Jahedul Islam stated that the girl’s body was recovered with the assistance of the Fire Service and local residents before being sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
Md Kamruzzaman, senior station officer of Bayezid Fire Service, reported that a mound of earth collapsed onto a tin-shed house, causing Sumaiya’s death on the spot.
Following the incident, locals have demanded effective measures to evict risky settlements and relocate residents to safer areas as the danger continues to grow with the persistent rainfall.
