A Pakistani toddler who was accidentally left behind at a roadside restaurant in Cumilla’s Sadar Dakshin upazila was reunited with her family on Saturday after local authorities verified the family’s identity.
The child, Nafisa, aged around 18 months to two years, was handed over to her relatives at Jaitun Restaurant in the Mostafapur area at around 2:45pm by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sujan Chandra Roy in the presence of officials from the Department of Social Services.
After the reunion, the family resumed their journey to Cox’s Bazar.
Authorities said the child was mistakenly left behind after the family stopped for breakfast while travelling in two separate vehicles. Nafisa’s parents believed she was travelling with her grandparents, while the grandparents assumed she was in the vehicle with her parents.
The family realised the child was missing only after reaching the Karnaphuli Tunnel area in Chattogram and immediately returned to Cumilla.
Restaurant owner Lutfur Rahman Ripon found the child alone and informed Sadar Dakshin Model Police Station. The Upazila Social Services Office then coordinated with the family to confirm the child’s whereabouts.
Although authorities initially believed the family had travelled from Kashmir, discussions with the relatives confirmed they were Pakistani nationals visiting Bangladesh.
After completing the necessary identity verification and legal formalities, officials returned the child to her family.
Relieved family members thanked the authorities before continuing their journey to Cox’s Bazar.
