A child has died of a snakebite in Daulatpur, Kushtia. He was Soyad Islam, 5, son of Sukh Chand of Daulatkhali Choupara village in Daulatpur union of the upazila.

Citing locals, Daulatpur union parishad chairman Mohiuddin Mohi said Soyad was sleeping with his parents. Before dawn on Wednesday, something bit him in his sleep. When he screamed, his parents woke and saw a black keute (krait) snake beside him. The boy's father, Sukh Chand, killed the snake with a sickle.

Soyad was then taken to Daulatpur hospital, which sent him on to Kushtia General Hospital. He died there under treatment at around 10am on Thursday.

Dr Tapas Kumar Sarkar, resident medical officer (RMO) of Kushtia General Hospital, said the child's treatment began as soon as he arrived and antivenom was being given, but he died during treatment. He could not be saved because he was brought to hospital late, the doctor said.

Earlier, on 24 August last year, Ayesha Khatun, 25, and her seven-month-old daughter Nusrat Jahan died after being bitten in their sleep by a kalach (krait) in the Bhabanipur area of Kanchanpur union in Kushtia Sadar upazila.

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