A Second World War-era mortar shell has been recovered from beside a paved road in Sadar upazila of Panchagarh district after being mistakenly taken home by local labourers who initially believed it to be valuable scrap or hidden treasure.
The discovery was made late on Wednesday (17 June), around 11:45 pm, in the Jhitkikhura area of Sadar upazila’s Satmara Union. Police subsequently seized the ordnance from beside the residence of a local man named Salam and transported it to the police station for safekeeping.
According to police and local sources, a group of labourers had been extracting sand and stones from the Chilka River near the Majhipara bridge area under Satmara Union when they came across the object. Unaware of its nature, they initially assumed it to be a valuable find and took it home, believing it to be a form of buried treasure.
The labourers later cleaned the object, at which point they realised it was a military-grade explosive device rather than any form of valuables. Following this discovery, they left the mortar shell abandoned beside a road in the Jhitkikhura area.
The situation drew local attention after residents reported the presence of a suspicious object. Acting on the information, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandan Kumar Roy of Sadar Police Station led a team and recovered the mortar shell during the night. It was then taken under police custody.
Police confirmed that several workers, including Anwar Hossain (28), Ferdous (24), and Mominul Islam (30), were involved in the river-based sand and stone extraction work during which the shell was originally found.
The matter was later addressed by the Officer-in-Charge of Panchagarh Sadar Police Station, Ashraful Islam, who stated that the object was initially taken by workers from the Chilka River area, mistakenly considered as a valuable item, before being abandoned upon realisation of its true nature. Acting on local reports, police recovered the device and secured it at the station.
Authorities have indicated that the item is believed to be a very old mortar shell, likely used during the Second World War period, based on preliminary assessment. Further steps will be taken to neutralise and dispose of it safely through the Rangpur Bomb Disposal Unit.
Incident Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Jhitkikhura area, Satmara Union, Sadar upazila, Panchagarh |
| Date & Time of Recovery | Wednesday, 17 June, approximately 11:45 pm |
| Origin of Discovery | Chilka River, near Majhipara bridge |
| Item Recovered | Second World War-era mortar shell |
| Initial Handling | Taken home by labourers, later abandoned roadside |
| Police Action | Seized by Sadar Police Station team led by ASI Chandan Kumar Roy |
| Individuals Involved | Anwar Hossain (28), Ferdous (24), Mominul Islam (30), others |
| Disposal Plan | To be defused by Rangpur Bomb Disposal Unit |