Writ seeks compensation for baby's death after fall into Ctg drain

A writ was filed with the High Court today, pleading for providing compensation over the death of a six-month-old baby after falling into an open drain in Chattogram city's Kapasgola area on April 18, 2025.

Supreme Court lawyer Ishrat Hasan filed the writ petition in public interest, accusing the concerned authorities of their extreme negligence in urban planning and infrastructure management for such an accident.

"Such negligence violates the right to life and security of citizens as guaranteed in Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh," the petitioner said.

The petitioner also pleaded for the High Court's direction to take immediate and effective measures to prevent such accidents by preparing a list of all open drains, canals and risky areas under Chattogram City Corporation's jurisdiction and submitting a plan.

Seven officials, including the LGRD Secretary, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor and Managing Director of the Chattogram WASA, were made respondents in the petition.

Earlier, a battery-run rickshaw carrying three people, the baby, her mother and her grandmother, fell into an open drain in the port city's Kapasgola area under Chawkbazar Police Station on April 18. Though the two adults managed to come out of the drain, six-month-old Sehrish went missing. Her body was rescued from the city's Chaktai canal, almost 14 hours after the accident.