2 children drown in Shitalakkhya river in Gazipur

Two children drowned while bathing in the Shitalakkhya river in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur today.

The deceased were identified as madrasa student Labibul Al Hasan, 10, son of Md Ataur Rahman Sheikh of Uttar Moktarpur in Kaliganj, and Raihan Islam Rabbi, 12, son of Tofazzal Hossain of Dori Nasera village in Kapasia upazila of the same district.

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Rabbi was staying at his maternal grandfather's house in Uttar Moktarpur and was studying at a primary school, locals said.

According to police and locals, Labibul, Rabbi and several of their friends went to the Shitalakkhya river in Uttar Moktarpur around 11:00am for a bath.

At one stage, Rabbi began drowning. Labibul jumped into the river to rescue him but also disappeared.

Hearing the cries of the other children, locals and family members rushed to the scene and started a rescue operation.

They later recovered Labibul's body from the river, while Rabbi was rescued in critical condition and taken to Palash Upazila Health Complex in neighbouring Narsingdi district, where doctors declared him dead, locals added.

Confirming the incident, Shanti Chandra, sub-inspector of Kaliganj Police Station, told The Daily Star that the bodies were handed over to their families without autopsies at the relatives' request, as they had no complaints.