A housewife named Runia Begum, 35, died of a snakebite in Bhedarganj, Shariatpur. The incident happened at midday on Monday (9 June) in the Hamid Munshikandi area of Dakshin Sakhipur union in the upazila.

Runia Begum was the wife of the late Aman Molla of the area. Her father's name is Abdur Rasid. She was the mother of four children.

Local sources said she was on her way to a crop field at midday when a venomous snake suddenly bit her right leg and she fell ill. Local people took her to an ojha (traditional healer). When her condition worsened there, she was rushed to Bhedarganj Upazila Health Complex, where a doctor advised taking her to the Sadar Hospital. She died on the way to the Sadar Hospital.

Her brother, Jahangir Mal, complained that snakebites were very common in the area, but every time people died because there was no proper treatment. "Despite our repeated requests, the authorities are indifferent to this," he said.

Bhedarganj upazila health and family planning officer Dr Arman said the incident was sad. "We currently have enough antivenom for snakebite patients. But if the patient had been brought in quickly, she might have survived," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.