2 schoolgirls found dead in Turag

The bodies of two schoolgirls were recovered from Turag river in Savar on Wednesday.

The deceased are Sathi Akthar and Afroza Siddika. Both the 14-year-olds were ninth grade students of Dhanmondi Rotary Club Girls High School in Ashulia's Ghoshbag area.

Fishermen found the bodies near Ashulia Bridge in the evening and informed police.

Javed Masud, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station, said, “After primary investigation, we suspect they might have jumped off the bridge to commit suicide.”

However, families, school teachers and classmates refused to believe the suspicion.

Sathi's father, Nuruzzaman, a security guard at a factory, said his daughter went to school in the morning. “Later at night, we heard that her body was recovered from the river.”

“Why would she commit suicide?” he said.

Afroza's father, Mohammed Masud, echoed the same.

This correspondent also spoke to the school's headteacher, Emarat Hossain. He said, “Both Sathi and Afroza were good students. They used to come to school regularly, but on Wednesday they were absent.”

“Police should look into the matter more seriously instead of terming the incident suicide,” he said.

Many of their classmates also found it impossible to believe that the girls committed suicide.

When asked, Inspector Javed Masud said, “We will be able to know clearly what happened after getting autopsy reports.” The bodies were handed over to the families after autopsies yesterday noon, he said.