Khan Jahan shrine's crocodile this time drags minor into pond

A seven-year-old girl went missing after being dragged underwater by a crocodile in the pond of the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA) in Bagerhat.

According to locals, the incident took place at the Mahila Ghat at the Khan Jahan (RA) shrine in Shat Gombuj Union of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila around 8:30pm on Monday (June 1).

Eyewitnesses said that the missing child, Fatima, and her mother had been staying in the shrine area for a few days. At one stage on Monday night, when the child went to the ghat of the pond, a crocodile suddenly dragged her under the water.

At that time, the people present and visitors tried to rescue the child by taking boats to the pond. On receiving the information, a team from Bagerhat Fire Service reached the spot and started searching. Till the time of writing this news, no trace of the child has been found.

Firefighters are conducting a rescue operation with the help of local residents. Upon receiving the news, Bagerhat-2 MP Sheikh Manjurul Haque (Rahad), Deputy Commissioner Golam Md. Baten and Superintendent of Police Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabder visited the scene.

There have been two previous incidents of people being dragged into the pond of this shrine. Three years ago, crocodiles dragged a teenager into deep water in this pond. Then his body floated in the water. A decade ago, a mentally unstable Maryam, 55, was washing dishes in the pond when a crocodile suddenly dragged her into deep water. After a while, Maryam's lifeless body floated.

Locals claim that if this information is released, the business that runs around the shrine around the crocodile may be damaged. The incidents were kept secret due to this fear.

These incidents came into the spotlight on April 8 in the crocodile 'incident' of the pond. When a video of an injured dog being dragged from the bank of the pond went viral on social media, criticism started across the country.

Views Bangladesh's investigation revealed that the bank of the historic pond adjacent to the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA) in Bagerhat is unprotected. Every day, people of all ages, from children to the elderly, enter the crocodile-infested water. The administration knows, the shrine authorities also know. Yet there is no effective measure.

On the ground, it can be seen that children are playing in the water on the banks of the pond. People of different ages are bathing, some are getting their bodies wet. Despite knowing that there are crocodiles, no one has shown much panic.

When asked about this, some people said that crocodiles are not visible now. When the crocodile comes near the bank, no one gets into the water.

On the other hand, the servants of the shrine have been seen encouraging visitors to get into the water. People are being encouraged to get into the crocodile water without any warning or safety measures, which is putting the lives of visitors at serious risk, according to conscious circles.

In this regard, Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Mosa. Atia Khatun told Views Bangladesh at that time, ‘There is a matter of religious belief here. Many people bathe and touch the water out of that belief. They even carry water in bottles. "In this situation, if a ban is suddenly imposed, the shrine devotees may not take it well."

He added, "However, we have decided that a specific place will be designated for people to bathe or collect water - where the crocodile will not be able to go."