At least 12 people, including eight children, have drowned in ponds, rivers and waterlogged areas in Rangpur district over the past 10 days, once again highlighting one of Bangladesh’s deadliest yet often overlooked public health crises. The alarming series of incidents comes just as the monsoon season approaches, when rising water levels and widespread flooding typically increase the risk of drowning, particularly among children in rural areas.
The highest number of child drowning deaths was reported in Pirgachha upazila where six children lost their lives within just three days.
According to local authorities, a five-year-old child drowned in a water body in Chowra Masua Para of Kalyani Union in Pirgachha on Saturday.
A day earlier, two children – Rajib Mia, 6, son of Sojib Mia, and Senatul Akter, 4, daughter of Shahjahan Mia – drowned in the Nozor Mahmud area of Kaikuri Union. The two were cousins.
On June 3, two more children, Sohag, 4, and Abid Hasan, 7, who were maternal cousins, drowned in separate incidents in Diktari and Dadan Dolapara areas of Kandi Union.
On the same day, 14-month-old Wazed Ali reportedly slipped out of his house unnoticed and drowned in a waterlogged area beneath a bamboo grove beside a road.
In Gangachara upazila, siblings Rusha Moni, 15, and her younger brother Saif, 5, drowned in the Mazarerpar area of Kolkonda Union on May 27.
Two teenage boys, Ahid Islam, 15, and Masud Rana, 16, drowned while bathing in the Jamuneswari River with friends in Taraganj upazila on May 29. The incident took place in the Kayishabari area of Hariaarkuthi Union. Both were residents of Dangirhat Telipara village and close friends.
In Rangpur city, a student of Begum Rokeya University drowned in the Ghaghat River while bathing with friends in the Panbari area on June 5. The victim, identified as Sihab, 26, was a resident of Darshana Sutarpara in the city.
Public health experts say drowning remains one of the leading causes of child deaths in Bangladesh every year.
They stress that many such incidents can be prevented through proper supervision, restricting unsupervised access to water bodies, and raising awareness among parents and caregivers.
Confirming the incidents, Rangpur range DIG of Police Aminul Islam said a lack of awareness and negligence were contributing to the rising number of drowning deaths.
“Most of these tragedies could be avoided through greater vigilance and preventive measures,” he said.
According to Unicef, drowning stands as one of the leading causes of death among children under five in the country.
Some 14,000 young lives are lost each year—many during the monsoon, when the landscape becomes a dangerous playground.
Every day, an average of 40 children drown—lives with potential, laughter, and love—all extinguished in moments that could have been averted.
The World Health Organization echoes this grim reality, ranking drowning as one of the top causes of death among children and young people in Southeast Asia.
As Bangladesh enters the peak monsoon season, the string of deaths in Rangpur serves as a stark reminder that for many families, a nearby pond or river can become a source of tragedy within moments — unless vigilance and preventive measures are strengthened.