The body of ASI Mukul Hossain, who went missing in the Padma River near Kumarkhali, Kushtia, has been recovered.
His body was found in the Padma River near Nazirganj in Sujanagar upazila, Pabna district at around 8am on Wednesday (30 October), according to Firoz Ahmed, station officer of Kumarkhali Fire Service.
"This morning, a team from the fire service was preparing to commence a search operation in the river when the OC of Kumarkhali informed us that a body had surfaced. ASI Mukul Hossain's body was discovered 45 kilometres from the original incident site," he added.
The incident began on Monday morning when ASI Sadrul Alam and ASI Mukul Hossain of Kumarkhali Police Station went missing in the Padma River near Ber Kaloya after being attacked by local fishermen.
On Tuesday, fire service personnel recovered ASI Sadrul Alam's body two kilometres from the initial site.
Police reports indicate that at approximately 4am on Monday, a team of six police officers, led by SI Nazrul Islam from Kumarkhali Police Station, two local UP members, and two boatmen, were crossing the Padma River en route to arrest a suspect in Charsadipur.
However, they were reportedly attacked by fishermen from multiple boats, causing two police officers to leap into the river to escape.
Local sources claim that police officers, with assistance from UP members, ventured into the Padma River in a boat during the early hours. Allegedly, the officers attempted to seize fish from the fishermen, prompting retaliation from individuals on several boats.
Ejahar Sheikh, a fisherman from Ber Kaloya, reported, "I was fishing for hilsa at night when two UP members and six police officers approached and took my fish. After seizing the fish, they left, allowing us to continue fishing."
Local fishermen leader Iyarul Islam stated that at around 3am on Sunday night, he received calls from fishermen reporting trouble on the river.
They alleged that UP members and police personnel took their oil and fish.
"After hearing about the trouble, I returned to sleep, but at around 5am, ASI Sadrul called, saying, 'Brother, we’re in danger. Help us.' We then sent a boat with four people to rescue SI Nazrul, four police officers, and two UP members. SI Nazrul sustained a head injury," he added.
According to Iyarul Islam, the police were in plain clothes, and the UP members had brought them to the river to seize fish, oil, and money from the fishermen, who, mistaking them for robbers, attacked in self-defence.
The police operation, which culminated in the fishermen's attack, has raised concerns within the community.
Locals have questioned the necessity of the police's nighttime venture to Charsadipur, which is an hour across the Padma.
Residents noted that police rarely visit the Pabna-side area near the riverbank even in daylight, and wonder why officers would proceed without members of the nearby Shilaidaha Union.
Speculation has also arisen as to why the officers, if on an arrest mission, were unarmed and dressed in plain clothes.
Furthermore, sources from the Fisheries Department confirmed that there was no authorised patrol or operation on the Padma River that night.
