The incident occurred on Sunday (July 27) around 8 PM in the Hosain Market area under Tongi West Police Station. While walking on the road during heavy rain, the woman fell into an uncovered manhole and was swept away by the strong current of water.
The deceased, Tasnim Siddiqui Jyoti, was a resident of Mirpur Sector 10 in Dhaka and worked as a salesman for 'Moni Trading,' a pharmaceutical import company. She was the daughter of the late Oliullah Ahmad Bablur from Mosque Para, Ward No. 4, Chuadanga district.
Following the incident, Fire Service rescuers began a search operation that night. However, as no trace of her was found until Monday night, local residents grew increasingly frustrated. This led to a protest on Monday evening, where angry locals blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for nearly two hours before the situation was brought under control.
Locals have blamed the unplanned drainage system, alleging that a 12-foot-wide drain beside the road was narrowed to 6 feet, causing strong water currents during rains. They claim that uncovered manholes have led to repeated accidents of this nature.
Senior Station Officer of Tongi Fire Service Unit, Md. Shahin Alam, said, "The manhole at the incident site was about 10 feet deep and completely submerged due to heavy rainfall. Our diving team recovered Jyoti's body around 9 AM today."
Gazipur Metropolitan Police’s Tongi West Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Md. Iskandar Habibur Rahman, stated, "We coordinated with the Fire Service to carry out the rescue operation. The situation is now under control."
Locals have demanded safe pedestrian pathways, covered manholes, and an effective drainage system, urging, "Such tragedies should not befall any other family."
