A pregnant woman named Taniya Akter, 25, has died after being bitten by a snake in Shibchar, Madaripur. The incident happened around 9pm on Sunday, 28 July, in North Banshkandi village of Banshkandi union, Shibchar upazila.

Taniya was the wife of Dilu Mallik, a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia from the same village. She was the mother of one child and was eight months pregnant.

According to local people and her family, Taniya opened the door of her house at night to go outside. As she stepped in front of the door, a venomous snake bit her. Neighbours rushed over when she screamed. Her family first took her to a local kobiraj (traditional healer) named Dadon Howlader. When her condition worsened, she was taken to Shibchar Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared her dead.

Her father-in-law, Zahir Uddin Mallik, said: "My son's wife died of a snakebite. We cannot accept this death."

Azizul Haque Khan, a doctor in the emergency department of Shibchar Upazila Health Complex, said the patient had died long before she was brought to hospital. Had she been brought straight to hospital instead of to a local fakir or kobiraj, Taniya might have been saved, he said.

Subrata Kumar Goldar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shibchar police station, said police visited the scene after being informed. "It is very sad," he said.

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