Earthquake: Child killed, 2 including mother injured as wall collapses

A 10-month-old child named Fatema has been killed in Rupganj of Narayanganj when a wall collapsed during the earthquake. Two others, including the child’s mother, Kulsum Begum, 30, have been injured.

The incident took place at around 10:38 am today, Friday, in Islam Bagh Canal No. 5 area of Golakandail Union in the upazila. Fatema was the daughter of Abdul Haque of the same area.

According to local sources, Abdul Haque lives in Dhaka due to his job. His wife Kulsum lives in a rented house in Islam Bagh with their two children. Kulsum’s parents also live in a rented house next door.

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake was felt across Dhaka and several parts of the country this morning. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the epicenter of the earthquake was in Madhabdi area of Narsingdi.

Panicked by the tremor, Kulsum ran outside holding her daughter Fatema. At the same time, their neighbour Jasmin Begum, 35, also rushed out of her house and took shelter on the roadside.

Just then, a boundary wall beside the road collapsed on them. Fatema died on the spot after being crushed under the fallen bricks. Locals rescued the injured women. Kulsum and Jasmin were initially taken to a nearby private hospital and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Speaking in this regard, Inspector Mokhlesur Rahman of the Bhulta police outpost told Prothom Alo, “We visited the spot after receiving the news. The casualties occurred when the house’s boundary wall collapsed during the earthquake.”