Boy falling in Ctg drain missing for 48-hrs: Waste pile hampering rescue operation

Two days have passed but rescuers are yet to locate a 12-year-old boy who fell into a roadside drain at Sholoshahar Railway Station area in Chattogram city.

Thick layers of waste and polythene in the cannel is hampering the rescue operation, said Farid Ahmed, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Chattogram.  

After a pause last night, divers of firefighting unit started the search operation again -- removing piles of waste -- this morning, he added.

Two boys from a nearby slum, including Kamal, fell into the drain as they were playing in the area around 4:30pm on Monday. One of them managed to come out but Kamal drowned.

As the family failed to find him that day, locals informed firefighters about the incident the next day.

This is the third incident in just over three months of people dying or disappearing following falling into open drains in the port city.

On September 28, the body of 19-year-old university student Sehrin Mahbub Sadia was recovered after she had fallen into a roadside drain the previous day.

On August 25, 55-year-old vegetable trader Saleh Ahmed had fallen into the same drain that Kamal disappeared in.

Saleh has since been missing despite a seven-day rescue operation by Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence divers.