Dhaka - Unable to bear the pangs of hunger any more, a poverty-ridden mother in Bangladesh killed herself after throwing three of her six children into a village pond, police said Thursday.

"The woman with her children went from pillar to post for a meal in the remote village but failed to get even a morsel of food from relatives and neighbours," said local sheriff Abul Kashem.

Witnesses said none of the three children tossed into the water on Wednesday was older than six, and all three drowned helplessly. The mother, identified as Aqlima Khatoon, hanged herself from a tree.

Her three other children escaped death as they were not home near the town of Fulbari in central Mymensingh district.

Police said Khatoon became ever more desperate when she was denied food by her close relatives.

Bangladesh has an estimated population of 140 million - nearly a quarter living below the poverty line. It faces severe shortfalls in rice production after being hit by recurrent floods last year. (dpa)