Little boy rescued from cliff: ‘I thought of my son at my home in Bangladesh’: Jahir

A Bangladeshi worker in Singapore received an award for saving a three-year-old child standing on the windowsill, The Strait Times reported.

The worker, who was just passing Jahir, came across a crowd taking photos and videos, and panicked when he saw a three-year-old boy standing on the edge of the third floor of the apartment, frozen in shock and staring blankly ahead.

On October 25, truck driver Jahir, who has been in Singapore for over 16 years, was one of two people awarded the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) Community Lifesaver Award for rescuing the boy.

A video clip of the boy being carried from the ledge to safety went viral. At around 11:50 a.m. on October 20, the little boy was standing at the edge of the apartment’s third floor as anxious onlookers gathered below.

Jahir, who works for paper mill company Gee Ho Seng, was cycling to his nearby home when he noticed the crowd and saw the boy standing precariously close to the edge of the ledge.

Jahir said: “The moment I saw him, I thought of my seven-year-old son at home in Bangladesh. I just wanted to save the child. I didn’t have time to wait. I was worried he would fall.”

Jahir ran up the stairs to the third floor to knock on the door of the apartment where the child was.

He pounded on the door, shouted and rang the bell but received no response. Frustrated, Jahir decided to climb onto the ledge to save the boy.

When he tried to open the door to the third-floor ledge, he found it locked. He then ran to the first floor to try climbing up to the ledge from there.

Jahir saw four people holding a blanket under the boy, ready to catch him if he fell.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Myanmar worker Sa Thu Ya Aung from Surface Solutions approached him. Thu Ya was on her way to a church event when she saw the commotion.

He has a six-year-old nephew and a four-year-old nephew whom the boy reminds him of.

He said: “I was imagining my own nephews there. I wanted someone to save them.”

Both men came up with a plan.

Since Jahir was taller, he lifted Thu Ya to the ledge of the second floor. Later, Thu Ya would help Jahir up. From there, Jahir lifted Thu Ya to the ledge of the third floor and stayed on the second floor to catch Thu Ya if she fell.

Thu Ya hugged the wall as she slowly approached the child, afraid that sudden movements might scare the child and cause him to slip.

The ledge was only slightly wider than her foot, but Thu Ya was not afraid.

She said: “I was so scared for the kid that I wasn’t even scared for myself. I was actually more nervous than the crowd because so many people were watching me.”

What made the rescue operation difficult was that anxious people below were shouting at them to be careful and taking photos and videos.

After reaching the toddler, Thu Ya held him in her arms.

He recalled: “The boy was very frightened, his hand was cold and he held on tightly to my shoulders.”

One of the apartment’s windows was slightly ajar, so Thu Ya pushed it open and placed the child inside the unit.

The Straits Times had previously reported that Thu Ya discovered there was an adult inside.

Before going down to the first floor, Jahir helped her down to the second floor.

On 25 October, both men were commended for their bravery at the 3rd SCDF Division Headquarters in Yishun Industrial Park A.

The SCDF Community Lifeguard Award is presented to members of the public whose actions involve an element of inherent risk and/or contribute to saving lives.

Jahir said: “The reward is just a bonus. The real reward was that I was able to save the child.”

On October 25, police said they were assisting with investigations into a case of negligent conduct by a 25-year-old woman.

SCDF commander Lim Beng Hui said: “I am deeply encouraged by the bravery of Thu Ya and Jahir, whose brave actions and rapid response saved a precious life. I hope their public-spirited actions will inspire more people to come forward and help others in distress.” “