5 children drown in Noakhali

Five children, including two brothers, drowned in three upazilas of Noakhali on Wednesday, reports news agency UNB.

The incidents took place in Hatia, Subarnachar and Kabirhat upazilas of the district between 9:30 am and 3:00 pm.

The deceased were identified as Ria Begum, 9, Nasrin Akter, 11, of Subarnachar upazila, Rifan, 7, Rifat, 9 of Kabirhat upazila and Niha, 5, of Hatia upazila.

Quoting witnesses, Kabirhat police station sub-inspector (SI) Didar ul Alam said Rifat and his brother Rifan were playing with other children near a pond at around 1:45 pm. At a stage they fell in the pond.

Later, they were rescued and rushed to Kabirhat Upazila Health Complex where physicians declared the two brothers dead, SI Didar said.

Hatia police station assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Zahirul Islam said Niha drowned in a pond at around 9:00 am. The victim's family members informed the police around 9:30 am.

SI of Char Jabbar police station Abdul Waris said that Ria and Nasrin came to their village to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha.

The two cousins went missing while playing in the afternoon.

Later, the family members found them unconscious from the pond at around 3:00 pm. They were taken to Noakhali General Hospital where physicians declared them dead, Waris said.