Body of ex-BCL leader Panna returns from India

The body of the former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Ishaque Ali Khan Panna, has returned to Bangladesh.

Meghalaya state police handed over the body to their Bangladeshi counterparts through the Tamabil border of Sylhet around 11:30am today (31 August).

“Family members of Panna have received the body and are heading towards his hometown Pirojpur,” said Samrat Talukder, media officer of Sylhet district police.  

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier requested the Indian government to send back Panna’s body in response to the plea of his family members.

After completing the formalities, the Indian police returned the body to Panna’s family this morning.

Panna fled to India through the Dona border in Sylhet’s Kanaighat on 24 August. Indian police recovered the semi-decomposed body of Panna on 26 August. 

The reason for his death could not be confirmed immediately.

However, according to NDTV, he was strangled to death and had injury marks on various parts of his body.

Panna’s identity was confirmed by his passport, which was found with his body, reports NDTV.

United News of India also reported quoting his family that Panna had $20 million with him, a claim that the chief of East Jaintia Hills district police of Giri Prasad has denied. 

“We don’t have any information about the money. We didn’t find anything with the body except a passport and a smartwatch,” said Prasad.

Panna became the general secretary of BCL’s central committee in 1994.

In 2012, he became the assistant secretary of Awami League’s central sub-committee.