After more than 10 hours, rescuers were yet to rescue two-year-old Sajid, who fell into a deep well in Tanore upazila of Rajshahi.
Fire Service teams are continuing the rescue operation with three units deployed to the site.
As of 11:30pm Wednesday, the child had not been retrieved.
Fire Service officials said local attempts to rescue the boy may have caused soil to collapse on him, making it impossible to spot him even with cameras. So far, soil has been removed up to a depth of 25 feet.
Earlier around 1pm, Sajid fell about 30–35 feet into the open entrance of a well while walking behind his mother on their way home in the Koelhat village of the upazila. Rescue operations began at 1.45pm after locals informed the Fire Service.
Sajid’s mother, Runa Khatun, said she was taking her elder son Sajid by the hand across a field near their home while carrying her younger child.
“Suddenly, Sajid called out ‘Ma, Ma.’ When I turned, I saw him fall into a hole covered with straw. He slipped further down before anyone could reach him,” she said.
Didarul Alam, Assistant Director of the Rajshahi Fire Service, said they arrived at 2.30pm and observed that soil had already been disturbed by local rescue attempts. Until 4pm, some responses could be heard from Sajid, but later the child’s cries could no longer be detected due to commotion at the site. Oxygen is being supplied into the well to support the child.
Local administration and political leaders have inspected the rescue operation, describing the incident as extremely tragic. Officials noted that warning signs or barriers should have been placed near the deep well to prevent such accidents.