Crocodile drags child into Bagerhat shrine pond as rescue operations continue

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

A seven-year-old girl was dragged into the water by a crocodile at the historic Khan Jahan (RA) shrine pond in Bagerhat on Monday night, sparking an urgent rescue operation. The incident occurred around 8:15 p.m. at the women’s bathing ghat, where the child, identified as Fatima, had gone to bathe.

Fakir Tarikul Islam, a shrine caretaker, stated that the girl was the daughter of a woman with mental health challenges who had been residing at the shrine complex for an extended period. Witnesses reported that the crocodile suddenly lunged from the water and pulled the child beneath the surface before bystanders could intervene. Despite immediate efforts by locals to search the pond by boat, the child remains missing.

Fire Service and Civil Defense personnel, along with local residents, are currently conducting search operations. The site has been visited by local member of parliament Sheikh Manjurul Haque, the District Commissioner, and the Superintendent of Police to oversee the response. Station officer Sheikh Mamunur Rashid noted that the search efforts are significantly hampered by darkness and the inherent dangers posed by the predator.

Rights Group Demands Investigation Into Alleged Custodial Disappearance of Mongla Resident

Read More

The incident has reignited public debate regarding the safety of keeping crocodiles in a public pond. While the pond at the Khan Jahan shrine is deeply rooted in local folklore—with historical accounts suggesting the 15th-century saint released a pair of crocodiles named “Kala Pahar” and “Dhala Pahar”—the current resident is not a descendant of the original lineage.

The last of the original crocodiles died in February 2015. Several crocodiles were subsequently imported from India in 2005 to maintain the shrine’s tradition, but most died over the following years. The last remaining pair was reduced to one in October 2023, following the death of its companion. Earlier this year, concerns over the safety of the pond were raised on social media after a video surfaced showing the crocodile dragging a dog into the water, prompting calls for authorities to review the practice of keeping such animals in a populated area.