The body of a 15-year-old schoolgirl who went missing after entering the Payra River for a bath in Barguna was recovered after nearly 33 hours, bringing an end to an extensive search operation.
The body of Jui, a Class 10 student from Mirpur in Dhaka, was found floating near the bank of the Payra River in the Joyalbhanga Nalbunia area of Taltali upazila at around 6pm on Monday (17 August). Local residents spotted the body near the thermal power plant and informed the authorities.
Jui had travelled to Barguna with her father to visit her maternal grandfather, Shanu Mridha, at Latakata in the No. 9 M Baliatali Union of Barguna Sadar upazila. According to local sources, she went to the nearby Payra River to bathe with a relative at about 9am on Sunday (16 August).
She was reportedly swept away by a strong current and disappeared beneath the water. Those accompanying her immediately attempted to locate her, but were unable to bring her back to the surface.
Local residents initially joined the search, using fishing nets and searching sections of the river. The Fire Service was subsequently informed, and its members, including divers, began a coordinated rescue operation. Police from Barguna Sadar Police Station also joined the effort, with local residents assisting the search teams.
Despite prolonged searches across different parts of the river, Jui could not be located throughout Sunday. The operation continued as the authorities and local people searched the waterways for any sign of the missing student.
After about 33 hours, residents in the Joyalbhanga Nalbunia area noticed a body floating close to the riverbank at around 6pm on Monday. Police were informed and, with assistance from local people, recovered the body.
The location where the body was found is some distance from the place where Jui disappeared. In a river with a strong current, a person who goes missing in the water may be carried away from the original location, making rescue operations particularly difficult. However, authorities have not provided any separate assessment of how far the body may have travelled.
Jui was a resident of Mirpur in the capital, while her family’s ancestral home is in Norha village of Nasirnagar upazila in Brahmanbaria district. News of the recovery brought the search operation to an end, but also left her family and relatives devastated. Grief spread through the area as relatives gathered following the discovery.
Barguna Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Mohammad Hasnain Parvez said police went to the site after receiving information about the body and recovered it with the assistance of local residents. He said the necessary legal procedures were under way.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with bathing in rivers where currents can change rapidly. In such circumstances, even a routine visit to the water can turn dangerous within moments, particularly for those unfamiliar with the depth and strength of the current.
