Seven-year-old girl vanishes on way to madrasa, body found beside under-construction house

Police have recovered the body of a seven-year-old girl from beside an under-construction house in Noakhali Sadar upazila. Sudharam police recovered the body on Monday evening after receiving a call on the national emergency number 999.

The girl was a first-grade student at a local Nurani madrasa. Her family's village home is in the neighbouring Begumganj upazila.

Family members suspect the girl was tortured and then murdered.

The girl's uncle told Prothom Alo that she and her 10-year-old elder brother study at the local Nurani madrasa. After lunch today, the two were on their way back to the madrasa.

On the way to the madrasa there is a garden belonging to a house. They have to pass through that house and garden to get there.

On the way to the madrasa at noon, the brother stepped aside a little to urinate. When he returned, he could not see his sister nearby, so he went on to the madrasa. After school ended in the afternoon, he returned home.

The uncle said that after returning home, the mother asked the son about his sister. The boy then asked his mother in return whether his sister had come home.

When the mother said she had not, he said his sister had been with him and then got lost. The family then began searching for her.

At one point, at around 4:30 in the afternoon, the girl's body was found lying near the foundation of an under-construction house beside the path, about 200 yards from the madrasa.

The uncle claimed that the girl's clothes were not in a normal condition at the scene. That is why the family suspects someone nearby tortured and killed her.

Md Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sudharam police station, told Prothom Alo that police are investigating the incident. Further legal steps will be taken on the basis of the family's complaint.