DROWNING is one of the leading causes of deaths of children aged between 1 and 17 years. It has turned into a 'silent epidemic' in riverine Bangladesh. On an average, 18,000 children die every year from drowning in this country. This is a startling figure which is enough to shock all irrespective of social and economic status. But it is happening every year and more alarmingly, the number is on the rise.
Although children's death rates have been reduced noticeably, the number of deaths by drowning is increasing everyday. The majority of Bangladeshi people lives in rural areas and it is no surprise that most of the deaths from drowning take place in the countryside. Children are frequently drowning in swollen rivers, canals, ponds, ditches and other water bodies while they play in nearby areas.
Research shows that the main reason behind young children's drowning incidents is lack of supervision. Children rush to water in excitement without knowing how to swim or how to survive if they are in trouble. Drowning is something that can be prevented by keeping a constant watch on children's movements. Therefore, more care and attention need to be paid to prevent most of the children from drowning. Proper parental attention should be included in our agenda for safety of children.
Toufik Ahmed
Department of International Relations,
Rajshahi University
[email protected]
- Saturday, 23 November 2024 |
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