Four children sustained major eye injuries while a betel-leaf shopkeeper was melting lime for the purpose of selling on Wednesday morning.

Because of poverty, the children are being deprived of treatment which may turn them blind permanently.

Saiful Islam, father of three affected children at South Balapara village in Dimla upazila was melting lime in a pot. During the melting process it exploded mildly affecting the children's eyes. The victims are Munni,7, Sumona,6, and Suja,6. Another child, Ripon,6, son of Mozaffar Hossen of Khari Bari village who stood beside the shop was also affected.

All the four children were rushed to Dimla Upazila Health Complex for treatment where on-duty doctors advised their immediate shifting to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for better treatment. But due to abject poverty their guardians failed to ensure their proper treatment. As a result, the children have been facing a threat of blindness.