Police recovered the semi-decomposed body of an 18-year-old, Rafsan bin Abdullah, from a pond in Rajshahi on Tuesday morning, about half a kilometre from the historic Madrasa Ground, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address a public rally.
Rafsan had been missing since leaving home on Monday morning. His body was found floating in a pond south of the Shah Makhdum Institute Public Library around 9am on Tuesday.
Tarique is scheduled to attend the rally, organised by the BNP’s city and district units, as the chief guest at Madrasa Ground at 3pm.
Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman, spokesperson for Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP), said Rafsan lived in the city’s Hosseiniganj Betpatti area. His father is Abdullah Zaki Rubel.
He said an initial examination found no visible signs of injury on the body. Rafsan was wearing shorts but no shirt, and the body had begun to decompose.
The body was sent to the morgue at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.
Police said their preliminary assessment suggested that Rafsan might have drowned after entering the pond to bathe. His family said he did not know how to swim.
However, the exact cause of death will be determined after the autopsy report is received, police said.
