Police in Bangladesh have launched a investigation after the body of a local Awami League official was recovered from a pond in Chandpur on Wednesday, triggering speculation and unrest across the district.
The deceased has been identified as 65-year-old Mohammad Dulal Alam, a prominent local figure who served as a former member of the Kalcho South Union Parishad representing Ward No. 8. He was also the local ward president of the Bangladesh Awami League—the political party led by ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose operational activities have faced severe restrictions and bans amidst ongoing nationwide political turbulence.
Residents in Noapara village, situated within Hajiganj Upazila, spotted the floating body around midday on 11 November. Family members and neighbors rushed to retrieve the body from the water, expecting a tragic drowning. However, distress quickly deepened when bystanders observed severe, visible signs of physical trauma. The victim had sustained bloody head injuries, indicating significant impact before or around the time of death.
The alarming discovery prompted an immediate emergency response. A squad from the Hajiganj Police Station arrived to secure the premises and prepare the preliminary inquest report (Surathal). Officers documented the site and the state of the body before taking it into formal police custody.
Speaking on the developments, Mohammad Kawsar Alam Bhuiyan, Officer-in-Charge of Hajiganj Police Station, confirmed that the body has been transferred to the morgue at Chandpur Government General Hospital for a full post-mortem examination. He stressed that law enforcement is keeping all investigative options open while awaiting the forensic findings, which will dictate the direction of formal legal proceedings.
The circumstances surrounding the death have cast a shadow of unease over the community. Kalcho South Union Parishad Chairman Golam Mostafa Swapan officially verified the identity of the deceased, acknowledging the intense public anxiety generated by the suspicious marks on Mr. Alam’s head.
Local authorities continue to urge calm across Chandpur while forensic pathologists determine whether the incident constitutes a fatal accident or a deliberate act of violence.
