Gasping in darkness: Rescue efforts continue eight hours after 2-year old falls into Rajshahi borehole

Firefighters are supplying oxygen through a pipe to keep him alive

A desperate rescue is under way in Rajshahi’s Tanore Upazila, where a two-year-old boy has been trapped in a 35-foot-deep borehole for eight hours.

Firefighters are supplying oxygen in the hole to keep him alive, while excavators dig beside the narrow, 16-inch-wide hole in a race against time to save the child.

The child fell into the hole around 1:15pm on Wednesday.

Three fire service units began rescue efforts immediately, but were still unable to pull the child out after eight hours.

Oxygen is being supplied through a pipe to keep him alive, said Didarul Alam, deputy director of Rajshahi Fire Service.

The child, Sajid Hossain, is the son of Rakibul Islam.

Officials from the Upazila administration and police later arrived at the site. An ambulance and a medical team have been kept on standby.

Sajid’s mother, Runa Khatun, said she was collecting straw in the paddyfield with her two children.

“I put Sajid down from my lap as I walked. He was following behind me. When I looked back, he was gone. Then I heard him calling ‘ma, ma’ from inside the hole,” she said.

Local resident Amjad Hossain said the land belongs to a farmer, Kachir Uddin, who had attempted to install a semi-deep tubewell there a year ago.

He stopped after digging 35ft when no water was found, leaving the borehole uncovered.

Didarul said locals initially tried to rescue the child before alerting authorities. Units from Tanore, Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi Sadar joined the operation.

“A camera was sent down to locate the child at a depth of 35 feet. Oxygen is being supplied through a pipe. An excavator is now digging beside the hole to aid the rescue,” he said.

He could not confirm whether the child is still alive.

Tanore Upazila administrator (UNO) Naima Khan said an ambulance and medical team are ready on site.

“Digging equipment was arranged immediately. All possible measures are being taken to rescue the child,” she added.

The UNO said authorities will look into why such an open borehole was left on the land.