Five Children Unaccounted For in Sherpur Upazila

A series of unexplained disappearances has been reported in the frontier region of Nalitabari Upazila under Sherpur District, where five children—including four students from two local madrasas—have gone missing within a short period. The disappearances, four of which occurred within a mere 48-hour window, have generated substantial anxiety and concern among parents and the local community. Family members have initiated formal legal procedures by lodging General Diaries (GDs) with the local police station to facilitate official search operations.

Chronology of the Disappearances

According to institutional and family sources, the earliest recorded disappearance involved Israfil Hossain, the son of Abdul Hai, residing in the Burunga Kalapani area of Poragaon Union. Israfil, a religious student who has memorised 24 parts (paras) of the Holy Qur’an, went missing on 27 May and has not been seen since.

The situation intensified over the weekend when four more children went missing after leaving their respective academic institutions. On Saturday, 6 June, at approximately midday, a 12-year-old student named Khondokar Mashrafe vanished. He is the son of Khondokar Mobarak Hossain, a resident of the Panchgaon area, and was last seen departing from the Tahfizul Qur’an Model Madrasa located in the Araiani Bazar area of Nalitabari town.

The following afternoon, Sunday, 7 June, three additional students disappeared simultaneously from another institution. The children—identified as Rabbani (10, son of Ukil Mia), Tofael (12, son of Manik Mia), and Russel (14, son of Abdul Awal)—failed to return to their homes in the Panchgaon area after leaving the Panchgaon Ikra Talimul Nurania Madrasa at midday.

Search Efforts and Community Response

Following the disappearances, distraught relatives conducted extensive searches across various potential locations, including the residences of extended family members and neighbouring areas, but failed to establish their whereabouts. Consequently, the guardians approached the relevant police station to file formal missing person reports. In addition to statutory legal measures, family members are actively circulating photographs, ages, and descriptions of the missing children across various social media platforms, appealing to the public for verified information.

The sudden clustering of these disappearances has created a palpable sense of apprehension among local residents. Community representatives and parents have formally called upon the upazila and district administrations to deploy additional resources to trace the missing minors swiftly and to implement heightened security measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Profile of Missing Children

Official Police Position

The Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) for Sherpur District, Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, confirmed that law enforcement agencies are treating the matter with high priority. He verified that multiple General Diaries have been registered at the relevant police station concerning the missing children.

ASP Bhuiyan stated that the police administration has initiated a comprehensive inquiry into the incidents, reviewing all contextual data to determine if there are underlying connections between the cases. Specialized units of the district police are currently coordinating efforts to locate the children and ensure their safe return to their respective families.