Some 191 children and teenagers fell ill after consuming biryani served at a pre-Christmas event, in Kotalipara of Gopalganj, on Monday.
Among them, 182 were admitted to the Upazila Health Complex, while nine were taken to Gopalganj General Hospital.
The incident occurred at an event organized by the Church of Bangladesh in the Kandi union.
The church’s project manager, Ripon Kunda, confirmed the matter. "The event was organized for 320 registered children and teenagers. Biryani packets were sourced from Govinda Bose’s hotel in the Dhārābāsāil market. Nearly 200 children fell ill after eating the food. The organization facilitated their treatment at the Upazila Health Complex and district hospital," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Kumar Mridul Das, the family planning officer at the Upazila Health Complex said: "Until Tuesday noon, we treated 182 children and teenagers at the health center. We suspect they fell ill due to food poisoning."
According to local sources, the Church of Bangladesh had organized a pre-Christmas event for 320 registered children and teenagers from the Kandi union.
Around 3pm on Monday, biryani packets were distributed at the event.
After consuming the food at home, the children began experiencing symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea by the evening.
Worried parents rushed them to the health center, where treatment continued until Tuesday noon.
Among them, nine critically ill children were transferred to Gopalganj General Hospital. They are now reported to be in stable condition.
Sathi Roy, a resident of Dhārābāsāil village, said: "My four daughters attended the church event in the morning and brought home biryani packets in the afternoon. Shortly after eating, they started vomiting and experiencing diarrhea. I took them to the Upazila Health Complex, and later, two of them were transferred to Gopalganj General Hospital due to their critical condition. Thankfully, they are now recovering."
As of Tuesday evening, some children were still receiving treatment at the Upazila Health Complex, while others had returned home after recovery.
Four children remained admitted to Gopalganj General Hospital, while five others were discharged after receiving treatment.
Kotalipara upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Shahinur Akter said: "Upon receiving the news, I ensured proper treatment for the affected children. Everyone is currently recovering well, including those still admitted. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the illness, including potential issues with the biryani or any negligence. Necessary actions will be taken against those found responsible."
Repeated attempts by the media to contact hotel owner Govinda Bose for comments were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off.
