Nine-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in Nagarkanda, Rape Alleged

Police have recovered the body of a nine-year-old girl from beside a railway line in Charjashardi Union of Nagarkanda upazila in Faridpur. The girl’s family has alleged that she was raped before being killed, although police have not yet confirmed the allegation and said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.

The body of Mahmuda Akter, daughter of Idris Molla of Tarakandi village, was recovered at around 9pm on Saturday (1 August) near a family cemetery beside the railway line in the area. She was the youngest of four siblings.

According to family members and local residents, Mahmuda went missing at around 5pm on Saturday. When she failed to return home, her relatives began searching for her in nearby areas. They reportedly checked several places but could not find her. The search continued for hours before local people alerted the police after the child’s body was discovered near the railway line.

Police officers subsequently went to the area and conducted a search. At one stage, they found Mahmuda’s body near the family cemetery and recovered it for further investigation.

Shahnaz Begum, the child’s sister-in-law, alleged that the girl was found without clothes and that the clothes she had been wearing could not be found at the scene. Based on these circumstances, the family suspects that she may have been raped and subsequently killed. The family has called for a thorough investigation into the incident and demanded that anyone responsible be brought to justice.

Police, however, have not yet confirmed the family’s allegation of rape. Investigators are examining several possible explanations for the child’s death, and officials have cautioned against reaching a definitive conclusion before the investigation and post-mortem examination are completed.

Mohammad Al Fahad, assistant superintendent of police for the Nagarkanda Circle, said the incident was initially being treated as a possible killing. Two people have been detained for questioning in connection with the case.

According to preliminary information gathered by investigators, there is also a possibility that Mahmuda may have sustained a fatal injury while playing with another child. Police are investigating whether that explanation is supported by the available evidence or whether there were other circumstances surrounding her death.

The officer said investigators were taking the matter seriously and examining all possible causes. The body has been sent to the morgue of Faridpur Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The report is expected to provide important evidence about the cause and manner of death.

The family is preparing to file a case, police said. Once the investigation is completed and the relevant evidence is assessed, legal action will be taken against those found responsible, if any criminal involvement is established.

The incident has caused grief and concern among residents of the area, particularly because the victim was a young child who had reportedly gone missing only a few hours before her body was recovered. Police are continuing their inquiry, while the family awaits clarity over what happened to Mahmuda and seeks justice for her death.