Dhaka, Oct. 14 -- A small water pot sits solemnly atop the reading table, accompanied by a few jars of untouched dry food. Below, the books, the school bag -- all remain undisturbed, just as they were before. But the vibrant presence that once filled this space is conspicuously absent.

The heart-wrenching story of Hafsatunnesa Tasnim has become a sombre addition to this year's grim dengue statistics. The nine-year-old resident of Mirpur succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease, leaving her family with a void that only a new addition could momentarily fill.

Her mother, Rakiba Akhter Rupa, reveals that Hafsa was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her little brother, expected in October. But the loss of her daughter left Rupa disconsolate.

"S...