Three children drowned in a rainwater-filled pit in Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar on Wednesday afternoon.
The victims were identified as Labib Ahmad, 7, son of Saheb Ali; Imad Ali, 10, son of Ashiq Ali; and Zisan Ahmad, 12, son of Sipar Miah. Labib and Imad were cousins.
The accident occurred around 2pm in Fatiguli village under Karmadha Union of the upazila.
According to family members and local residents, heavy rainfall and a nor’wester earlier in the day had waterlogged nearby fields. The children went to play in a field that contained a large pit created by recent earth excavation, which had filled with rainwater. None of the children knew how to swim, and they drowned while playing.
Villagers rescued the children and rushed them to a physician’s chamber in Rabir Bazar, where they were declared dead. Their bodies were later brought home, drawing a large crowd of grieving residents.
Karmadha Union acting chairman Helal Ahmad said the excavation had created a dangerous pit, which became a death trap when filled with rainwater, and the matter has been reported to the local authorities.
Kulaura Police Chief Moniruzzaman Molla confirmed that police were sent to the site and legal procedures are underway.
The incident has cast a shadow of mourning over the village and raised concerns over safety measures around excavation sites in the area.
