Kulsuma Went to School but Never Returned Home

Pallab Chakraborty,Nasirnagar Correspondent,Brahmanbaria. A nine-year-old second-grade student named Kulsuma Akter died after falling ill at school in Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria.The incident occurred at around 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday at Nasirpur Government Primary School in Nasirnagar Sadar Union.Kulsuma was the daughter of Md. Zainal Mia,a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia,from Nasirpur village.She was a second-grade student at the school.According to the school and her family, Kulsuma went to school on Tuesday morning after her mother gave her muri (puffed rice) and tea because the rice had not yet been cooked. She arrived at school at around 9:20 a.m. After playing with her classmates for some time, she drank water from the school's tube well. She then suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed while climbing the stairs to the second floor.Seeing what had happened, several fifth-grade students brought her downstairs. Water was poured over her head, and she was experiencing difficulty breathing.The teachers then informed her family. Her mother and several teachers quickly took her to Nasirnagar Upazila Health Complex. When she was brought to the hospital at around 10:15 a.m., the attending physician declared her dead.Dr.Shafiqul Islam,Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at Nasirnagar Upazila Health Complex,said Kulsuma had died before she was brought to the hospital. He said it was not immediately possible to determine the cause of death.An ECG was performed,but no abnormalities were found. As the family had no complaints, the body was handed over to them without an autopsy.Kulsuma's elder brother, Riyad Mia, said, "My sister went to school in good health in the morning.She suddenly became ill there and died".Kulsuma's classmate Obaidul said that Kulsuma became dizzy while climbing to the second floor after drinking water from the school's tube well.The school's headteacher,Sikta Rani Deb, said, "Kulsuma was one of our brightest students. We are deeply saddened by her loss. Although she was taken to the hospital quickly after falling ill, she could not be saved".Ishaq Mia, the Upazila Primary Education Officer,said he had learned that a young student had fallen ill and died.Md. Shahinul Islam,Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Nasirnagar Police Station,said police went to the scene after receiving news of the student's death and investigated the incident. As the family had no complaints, the body was handed over to them without an autopsy.Kulsuma's death has cast a shadow of grief among the school's teachers and students as well as local residents.