Bodies Recovered from Turag Not Linked to Awami League Procession: Police

Police have said that the three bodies recovered from the Turag River over the past two days were not connected to any procession organized by the now-banned Awami League or its affiliated bodies. They said no one died after falling into the river during an Awami League procession. Police also warned that rumors and provocative misinformation could fuel public unrest and undermine law and order, adding that the relevant units are working to identify those responsible for spreading such claims.

Officials from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and Dhaka District Police made the statements at separate press briefings on Sunday.

At a press conference held around 3:30 pm at her office in Old Dhaka, Dhaka District Police Superintendent Shamima Parveen said claims circulating on social media about seven bodies being recovered from the Turag River were entirely baseless. She alleged that certain vested groups were spreading misinformation online by giving the incidents a political dimension.

Explaining the recovery of the three bodies, she said police recovered the body of an unidentified teenager from Goruhata Ghat in Ashulia on June 26. A mobile phone found in his pocket led police to his brother, Salahuddin, who later identified the body as that of Sumon, 17. Sumon lived with his family in the Ranabhola area under DMP's Turag Police Station.

Salahuddin filed an unnatural death case with Ashulia Police Station. According to the case statement, Sumon left home on June 22, saying he was going on a picnic with friends. After a boat trip that afternoon, he accidentally fell into the river while hurriedly getting off a boat at Dhaur Bridge Ghat in Ashulia. As he could not swim, he drowned. Those with him searched for him but were unable to find him. His body was later recovered from the river on the night of June 26.

The police superintendent also said that on June 24, Rony Molla, 35, drowned while bathing at a ferry ghat on the Turag River near Royal City in Savar. Local residents searched for him for about half an hour before recovering him from the water. They then called the national emergency service, 999. Officers from DMP's Shah Ali Police Station and river police responded to the scene and later handed the body over to his family.

Rony lived with his family in the Mollapara area of Monipur in Mirpur.

His father, Kofil Uddin Molla, said Rony worked at a restaurant in Diabari. According to what he had learned, his son went swimming with an acquaintance at Diabari Ghat while returning home on the day of the incident. He said his son had no involvement in politics. Savar Model Police Station has recorded an unnatural death case over the incident.

Meanwhile, river police recovered the body of Arif Hasan from the Turag River on June 24. Arif was a resident of the Ranabhola area under Turag Police Station. His uncle, Md. Arshadul Islam, filed an unnatural death case with DMP's Darus Salam Police Station.

Arshadul Islam said Arif left home on the morning of June 22 and spoke to his mother by phone later that afternoon. He remained missing afterward. His body was recovered from the Turag River on Wednesday.

Following the recovery of the bodies, Awami League leaders and activists, as well as members of its affiliated organizations, claimed that party activists had died after falling into the river while fleeing a police chase during a procession. Since June 26, various photo cards carrying that claim have circulated widely on social media. The Awami League's verified Facebook page also shared the claim.

Police Headquarters, however, rejected the allegation in a statement issued on June 27. On Sunday, both DMP and Dhaka District Police reiterated that position at separate press briefings.

The Dhaka district police chief said the district police had no information suggesting that seven people went missing during an Awami League procession. She said a particular group was spreading the claim for political reasons.

She added that efforts were underway to take legal action against those responsible for the misinformation campaign. She also said 170 unnatural death cases had been recorded in Dhaka district in March and May, most of them involving unidentified individuals.

Later, at around 5:30 p.m., DMP Joint Commissioner Faruk Hossain told a separate press briefing that social media had recently been flooded with information, photographs, and videos claiming that multiple bodies had been recovered from the Turag River.

He said no reports had been received of any series of body recoveries, killings, or similar incidents within the jurisdiction of Turag Police Station under DMP's Uttara Division. He also said no individual or organization had filed any complaint, general diary (GD), or case with the police regarding such allegations.

Faruk urged people not to believe, share, or circulate unverified information. He said rumors, misleading information, and provocative content could create instability in society and worsen the law-and-order situation. He added that the relevant police units were working to identify those spreading such rumors.