KULIARCHAR, Bangladesh — Police have recovered the body of a 4-month-old boy in Dariakandi Kanthaltala village of Choisuti union in Kishoreganj’s Kuliarchar upazila, 26 days after he went missing.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 3, the child’s grandfather found the body inside a septic tank behind the house while cleaning it. Police arrived quickly after being informed and recovered the body, sending it for autopsy.
The child, Ashraful, was the son of Shahin Mia of Dariakandi Kanthaltala village.
Family sources said that on Feb. 5, at about 10:30 a.m., the child’s mother fed him and laid him in a cradle inside the house before going to sweep next to the home. A short while later, the seven-year-old eldest son came in and said the younger brother was not in the cradle. Panic spread among family members. After searching the house, courtyard and surrounding area without finding the child, the family informed police.
A neighbor said three women in burqas had been seen leaving the area quickly, with one carrying a child. The account spread rumors of child abduction in the area. Local residents searched possible locations, but there was no trace of the child for 26 days.
The child’s grandmother alleged that her younger son’s wife, Rupa Akter, had been behaving hostilely toward the family for a long time and had issued threats from time to time. The incident may have occurred as a result of the family dispute, she said.
Mohammad Faizul Islam, assistant superintendent of police for the Bhairab-Kuliarchar circle, said: “The case had been under serious investigation since the disappearance. The recovery of the body has added a new dimension to the investigation. The actual cause of death can be confirmed once the autopsy report is received.”
He added: “Based on the initial investigation, a woman named Rupa Akter has been arrested. She is being questioned, and all angles are being examined, including the family dispute, possible homicide and any other connection.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report