Members of various forces conducted the 31-hour-long rescue operation. — Collected The baby rescued from a borehole in Tanore of Rajshahi on Thursday night was declared dead by doctors at a health complex.
Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam, Director (Operation and Maintenance) of the Fire Service, confirmed the news, citing doctors at the Tanore Upazila Health Complex.
The two-year-old Sajid, who went missing, was pulled out in an unconsious state from the narrow underground borehole at 9:02pm on Thursday (11 December), officials said.
Members of various forces continued the rescue operation until the child was traced out.
According to locals, Sajid slipped into the concealed pit around 1:00pm on Wednesday while following his mother across a field in Koelhat Purbo Para village.
The shaft had been created last year when a local influential man, Oshir Ali, attempted to install a privately-operated deep tube-well.
After drilling nearly 120 feet without striking water due to rocky layers, the project was abandoned.
The extraction of pipes left a narrow, exposed cavity which was never refilled. Recent floods also caused further soil erosion, leaving the pit dangerously open.
Locals blamed the accident on unapproved and poorly regulated installation of deep tube-wells in the region.
Tanore reportedly has 425 privately-owned deep tube-wells, 517 BMDA-operated DDW wells, and 12 abandoned units.
Residents allege that many private wells are installed illegally under the protection of influential individuals.
Sajid's mother, Runa Begum, had been waiting at the site without sleep since Wednesday noon. Braving intense cold and fog, she repeatedly lost consciousness while crying for her child. "Will I ever hold my son again?" she asked in tears.
Sajid's father, Rakib-who works at a jhoot factory in Gazipur-rushed home after receiving the news. "I still haven't seen my child," he said. "I don't know if he is alive. I leave everything to Allah."
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