Srinagar, Nov 4, KDC: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, seeking his urgent intervention for the repatriation of the mortal remains of Adnan Altaf Rathar, a Kashmiri MBBS student who was found dead in Bangladesh.
In a communication to the External Affairs Minister on Wednesday, the Association sought immediate coordination between the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the Bangladeshi authorities to expedite the necessary formalities for bringing the student’s body back to Jammu and Kashmir.
National Convenor of JKSA, Nasir Khuehami, expressed profound grief over Adnan’s death. He identified him as the son of Altaf Ahmad Rathar, a resident of Bunpora, Dangarpora, Sopore, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Adnan was pursuing his MBBS at Eastern Medical College in Cumilla, Bangladesh.
According to the Association, Adnan went missing late on November 2 after leaving his college campus at around 11:36 pm to visit an Indian food restaurant. When he could not be traced, a General Diary (GD) was lodged at Burichang Police Station, following which local authorities launched search operations.
After nearly two days of searching, his body was recovered on the morning of November 4 from a waterbody in Monipur village, approximately 500 yards from his college, near the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Cumilla’s Burichang Upazila.
His mortal remains were subsequently shifted to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. The exact circumstances surrounding his death have not yet been officially established and remain under investigation by the Bangladeshi authorities.
Khuehami said the tragedy had left the family devastated, particularly Adnan’s mother, Nighat, who is reportedly in Bangladesh and is facing the loss without the immediate support of her family and relatives.
The Association has urged the Ministry to facilitate the completion of all necessary procedures, including the post-mortem report, death certificate, official clearances, embalming certificate and transportation permissions, so that the mortal remains can be brought back at the earliest.
It has also sought immediate logistical, administrative and humanitarian assistance for the bereaved mother, besides requesting the designation of a responsible officer at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to remain in direct contact with the family until the repatriation process is completed.
Khuehami said the family’s foremost concern was to bring Adnan’s mortal remains home so that his last rites could be performed with dignity and in accordance with their religious and cultural traditions.
He appealed to Jaishankar to accord the matter the highest humanitarian priority and ensure that procedural or diplomatic formalities do not cause unnecessary delays.
The Association said it remained in contact with the bereaved family and was ready to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian High Commission and Bangladeshi authorities to facilitate the earliest possible return of Adnan’s mortal remains.
