Floating Body of Elderly Man Recovered from Hatirjheel Lake

The floating body of an elderly man was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in the capital on Wednesday morning. The deceased, identified as 65-year-old Mohammad Azim Uddin, was found near Bridge 1, adjacent to the Rainbow Crossing. The discovery drew a crowd of curious onlookers and early morning joggers before law enforcement cordoned off the area.

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Nazmul Islam of Hatirjheel Police Station stated that the department was alerted through the national emergency services helpline, 999. On-duty members of the Ansar security detachment stationed at Hatirjheel spotted the body floating in the water and immediately reported the matter. Following the notification, a police team arrived at the scene around 8:00 am to retrieve the body from the lake.

After recovering the corpse, officers completed the initial inquest report at the site. By midday, the body was transported to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination. Investigating officers are tracking the movements of the deceased prior to the incident to build a clearer timeline.

Sub-Inspector Abhi noted that preliminary examinations suggest the elderly man died by drowning, as no immediate signs of external violence were visible on the body. However, he emphasised that the exact cause of death will only be verified once the complete autopsy report is delivered by the medical examiners.

The identification of the deceased posed an initial challenge for investigators. To resolve this, forensic experts utilised the biometric Fingerprint Identification and Verification System. By cross-matching the thumbprints with the national identification database, the police successfully established his identity. Azim Uddin was found to be a resident of House 306, Shimulbagh, located on Ulum Road in the West Rampura neighbourhood. The family of the deceased has since been notified of the tragic discovery, and police are currently interviewing relatives to understand the circumstances leading up to his presence near the lake.