Two young men have died after falling ill from drinking alcohol in Kotalipara, Gopalganj, according to local accounts. Each leaves a wife and two daughters.
Their families are stunned with grief at losing their breadwinners, and the future of four children is now uncertain. A third man who fell seriously ill in the same incident is being treated in Dhaka.
The dead are Monotosh Halder, 38, son of Mohendra Nath Halder, and Krishnakanta Barai, 38, son of Gedu Barai, both of Dighlia village. Monotosh drove an easy-bike. Krishnakanta ran a decorating business at Radhaganj bazar jointly with Anil Barai. Anil, who fell ill in the same incident, is in a critical condition at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
According to local sources, the three fell ill last Thursday and were taken to the Kotalipara Upazila Health Complex. When their condition worsened they were sent to Dhaka for better treatment. Monotosh died on Saturday while being treated at Popular Hospital in Dhaka, and Krishnakanta died on Sunday at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.
Village police member Sourman Sheikh said that after the puja ended, Krishnakanta and Anil went to the temple in Monotosh’s easy-bike to collect material from the pandal. It is believed they drank some kind of alcohol there, but what they drank has not been confirmed.
Krishnakanta’s brother Bishnu Barai said his brother fell ill while doing decorating work. Monotosh’s brother Uttam Halder said: “My brother fell ill after drinking some liquid that looked like water.”
Putul Sen, duty officer at Kotalipara police station, said: “No complaint has been made to the police station about the incident.”
The station’s officer-in-charge, Md Riad Hossain, said: “If we receive a complaint, legal action will be taken.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report