Police on Sunday recovered decomposed body of an unidentified man from Naf River near Shahporir Dwip in Teknaf, marking the fifth such recovery along the coastal belt in the last 12 days.
The discovery of several bodies and skeletons across Saint Martin’s Island, Shah Porir Dwip, and Teknaf Sadar coastal areas since 8 July has sparked growing concern and mystery along the border.
Local residents spotted the body floating in Naf River near Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Southern Point in ward 9 of Shah Porir Dwip Union on Sunday. Upon being alerted, members of Shah Porir Dwip police outpost and Teknaf River Police arrived at the scene to retrieve the remains.
According to police, the body is that of a male and has significantly decomposed due to prolonged exposure to water, making immediate identification impossible. Following a preliminary inquest, the body was transported to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Sanjib Kanti Nath, sub-inspector (SI) and in-charge of Shah Porir Dwip police outpost, said “Upon receiving information from locals, we recovered the body of an unidentified individual from Naf River. As the location falls under the jurisdiction of river police, Teknaf River Police outpost was informed to complete the legal formalities. Efforts to identify the deceased and determine the cause of death are ongoing.”
Mohammad Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station, confirmed that a total of five unidentified bodies, comprising both men and women, and skeletons have been recovered from Naf River and Bay of Bengal since 8 July.
“Each incident is being investigated with utmost importance,” the OC said. “Inquiries are underway to identify the bodies, determine the causes of death, and solve the mystery of where these remains are originating from. Clearer information will be available once the autopsy reports are received”.
While no official confirmation has been provided by the authorities, locals speculate that the bodies may be drifting from across the border due to ongoing conflict in Myanmar.
Other theories suggest the deceased could be fishermen missing at sea or Rohingya individuals who disappeared following recent boat capsizes. Investigations into these incidents remain active.
