Police recovered the hanging body of a 15-year-old boy from a Shaheed Minar in the Jagir area of Manikganj Sadar upazila on Sunday morning, prompting an investigation into whether he died by suicide or was the victim of a planned killing.
The deceased was identified as Shihab, son of Selim Mia of Hijuli area in Manikganj municipality. According to his family, Shihab worked cutting fish at the local bus stand’s raw market. Although he was still a child, he contributed to his family’s livelihood through work.
Police and family members said Shihab had not been staying regularly at home in recent days. He often spent time outside with friends and, on some occasions, stayed away overnight. On the night before his death, he reportedly left home saying that he was going out with friends.
Shihab’s mother said her son had asked her for Tk500 that evening, telling her that he planned to go around the Bewtha area with his friends. She could not give him the money because there was not enough cash at home. According to her account, Shihab became upset and subsequently left with his friends. He did not return home that night.
The following morning, his mother was informed that her son’s body was hanging from one of the pillars of the Shaheed Minar at the Dhaleshwari field in Jagir. Relatives rushed to the scene after receiving the news. Police later arrived and recovered the body.
Shihab’s mother has raised allegations against several local youths, claiming that they may have been involved in her son’s death. Police have not yet publicly disclosed details about the allegations or confirmed any involvement by the individuals named by the family. The claims are being examined as part of the investigation.
Police said it was too early to determine whether Shihab had taken his own life or had been killed and the scene arranged to appear as a suicide. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, his movements before the incident, statements from family members and other relevant evidence.
The body was sent to the morgue of Manikganj Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The findings are expected to assist investigators in determining the cause and circumstances of death.
Manikganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monir Hossain confirmed the incident. He said police had recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem examination. The investigation would determine whether the death was a suicide or a planned murder, he said, adding that the post-mortem findings and other investigative evidence would help establish what happened.
The death has raised questions among residents, particularly because Shihab had reportedly been spending more time away from home, had gone out with friends on the night before the incident and was subsequently found hanging at a public memorial site.
However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive sequence of events. The circumstances surrounding his final hours, the people he was with and how he came to be at the Shaheed Minar will be key areas of inquiry.
Police said the legal process is under way. If the investigation establishes the involvement of any individual in the teenager’s death, appropriate legal action will be taken.
