Photo : BSS

DINAJPUR, Aug 31, 2026 (BSS) - Divers of Fire Service and Civil Defence today recovered the body of a youth from the Punarbhaba River after 22 hours of his missing.

The deceased was identified as Rifat, 15, son of Md Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Nimnagar-Fulbari Bus Stand area of Dinajpur Municipality.

Rifat drowned in the river while taking bath with his friends in Sadar upazila here on Sunday afternoon. His body was recovered from the river around 2.30 pm, nearly 22 hours after he went missing

According to eyewitnesses, Rifat and two of his friends went to take a bath in the Punarbhaba River near Mahutpara village in Sadar upazila around 3.30 pm yesterday.

At one point, Rifat and one of his friends, identified as Ihsan, were swept underwater. Another friend who was on the riverbank raised an alarm. Local people immediately rushed to the spot and rescued Ihsan, who was later admitted to Dinajpur Medical College and Hospital.

After failing to find Rifat, locals informed the Dinajpur Fire Service. A rescue team from the unit, followed later by a diving team from Rangpur, 
began a search operation after Sunday evening.

Rifat had recently passed the SSC examination from Baniakhari High School in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur district.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station Md Nurunnabi confirmed the matter.