A child has mysteriously died in a state-run orphanage, Sarkari Shishu Paribar, in Gopalganj.
The incident happened in Shishu Bagan area of Gopalganj city around 2pm on Tuesday.
The deceased, Jobayer Khan, 12, was a student of Gopalganj Shishu Kalyan Government Primary School and son of Engine Khan from Pargati village under Lohagara upazila of Narail district.
Jobayer’s classmate, Sajedul Sheikh, said they both went towards the washroom on the second floor to take a shower around 1:45pm. Sajedul went inside first while Jobayer waited outside.
Before entering the washroom, Sajedul saw Jobayer tying up his towel with a bamboo pole attached with the veranda grill outside the washroom.
Later, after coming out of the washroom, Sajedul found Jobayer hanging from the same towel and called for help.
Jobayer’s aunt Nasrin Akhter, 20, said Jobayer was really young when his father left the family and when his mother could not run the family anymore, she gave Jobayer to the orphanage in 2017.
“We think this is a premeditated murder. My nephew has been killed and hanged. He has bruises on various parts of his body. We demand that those involved with this murder should be found and brought under the law,” she claimed.
Deputy Caretaker of the orphanage, Musharraf Hossain, said: “On information, we took the boy to the hospital where on-duty doctors declared him dead. I do not know how the incident happened. The actual facts will come out in the investigation.”
Gopalganj Sadar police station Officer in Charge (OC) Monirul Islam said: “We have recovered Jobayer’s body. His family claims it to be a murder, however, for now it looks like a suicide.
“The body has been sent to Gopalganj 250-Bed General Hospital for autopsy. The exact cause of death will be stated after receiving the autopsy report.”
Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Shahida Sultana said there are some video footage of the incident in the orphanage. Besides, the police and district administration are investigating the matter. An autopsy will reveal the cause of the death.
Meanwhile, the district administration has given Tk10,000 to the child's family for burying the body, she added.