Two children drowned in a pond at Hakimpur in Hili of Dinajpur on Friday noon.

The deceased were identified as Nirab, 3, son of Delwar Hossain of Banshmuri village and Maryam, 4, daughter of Majedul Islam of Alihat village. They were cousins who went to visit their grandparents' house in Arjipara village of the upazila where the incident took place.

Md Ferdous Wahid, officer-in-charge of Hakimpur Police Station, said the kids were playing near the water body adjacent to their grandparents' house on Friday afternoon.

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When they did not return home after a long time, their family members started searching for them. Later, locals found their bodies floating in the pond.

Drowning in Bangladesh

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under five in Bangladesh.

According to Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey (BHIS), nearly 17,000 children drown annually, an average of around 46 each day, in the country. That has led to it being described as a 'Silent Killer'.

A cross-governmental taskforce was established on drowning prevention – led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with representation from 12 departments. The task force is working to prepare a ‘National Drowning Reduction Strategy’.

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According to the WHO’s latest estimates, drowning is the cause of 235,000 deaths every year. Many countries, including Bangladesh, report drowning as a leading cause of childhood mortality, particularly in children under the age of five.