Child killed, sibling injured in Jashore blast after mistaking bomb for toy

A five-year-old girl was killed and her brother critically injured in an explosion in Jashore on Monday morning after mistaking a bomb for a toy while playing near their home.

The incident took place in the Shankarpur area of Jashore city, beside a banana grove, Prothom Alo reports.

The deceased was identified as Khadijatul Kubra, 5. Her brother, Sajib Ahmed, lost a hand in the blast and is undergoing treatment at Jashore General Hospital.

Their father, Shahadat Hossain, is an auto-rickshaw driver by profession.

Family members said the children found a small object resembling a ball and began playing with it, which later exploded, leaving them critically injured.

Their younger sister, Ayesha Sultana, 3, also sustained minor injuries when their mother, Ayesha Khatun, fell while rushing to rescue them with Ayesha in her arms.

Khadija was being taken to Dhaka for advanced treatment but died on the way near Gopalganj.

Police and army personnel visited the scene following the blast.

Jashore Kotwali Police Station investigation officer Kazi Babul Hossain said one child died and another was seriously injured. “We are investigating the source of the explosive,” he added.

Khadija’s body has been kept at the hospital morgue for further procedures.