A Kashmiri MBBS student from Sopore in north Kashmir was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Bangladesh on Wednesday, leaving his family devastated. His body was recovered from a waterbody in Monipur village of Cumilla district, nearly two days after he went missing.
The deceased, Adnan Altaf Rathar, was pursuing his MBBS at Eastern Medical College in Cumilla, Bangladesh, and was in his final semester. His family has appealed to the Indian government and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene urgently and facilitate the repatriation of his mortal remains so that his last rites can be performed in his hometown.
According to family sources, Adnan had returned to Bangladesh around 15 days ago after spending some time with his family in Kashmir. His mother had accompanied him. The family lost contact with him two days ago and subsequently approached his friends in Bangladesh, who informed them that he was missing.
Adnan Altaf an MBBS student at Eastern Medical Collage Bangladesh passed away in a tragic case of drowning . His devastated mother Nighat is stranded in Bangladesh all by herself. Request Indian Embassy at Bangladesh to help in repatriation of the the body back to India. @ihcdhaka @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia @VikramMisri
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 4, 2026
The family was later informed that his body had been recovered from a waterbody. His mother, who is currently in Bangladesh, has reportedly been admitted to a hospital following the incident, and her health condition is said to be unstable.
JK Students Association seeks Jaishankar’s intervention
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, seeking his urgent personal intervention to expedite the repatriation of Adnan’s mortal remains to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement, the Association's National Convenor Nasir Khuehami expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of Adnan Altaf Rathar, 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.
The Association said that Adnan went missing late on November 2, 2026, after leaving his college campus at approximately 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 search efforts, his mortal remains were 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 body was subsequently shifted to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for a 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 tragic incident had left the family devastated, particularly Adnan’s mother, Nighat, who is reportedly in Bangladesh and is facing the immense loss away from home without the immediate support of her family and loved ones.
He said the Association had taken up the matter with the External Affairs Minister, urging immediate coordination among the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the concerned Bangladeshi authorities to expedite all necessary formalities.
These include obtaining the post-mortem report, death certificate, requisite clearances, embalming certificate and transportation permissions to ensure that Adnan’s mortal remains are brought back to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.
The Association has also requested the Ministry to provide immediate logistical, administrative and humanitarian assistance to the bereaved mother. It has urged the authorities to designate a responsible officer at the Indian High Commission to remain in direct contact with the family until Adnan’s mortal remains are safely repatriated to India.
Khuehami emphasised that the family’s foremost concern was to bring Adnan’s mortal remains back to his homeland so that his last rites could be performed with dignity and in accordance with their religious and cultural traditions.
He said the Association stood ready to extend every possible assistance and coordinate with the concerned authorities to ensure that procedural and diplomatic formalities did not result in unnecessary delays.
Appealing for immediate and compassionate intervention, Khuehami urged Dr Jaishankar to accord the matter the highest humanitarian priority, ensuring that the grieving mother received all necessary support and that the family could bring their son home for a dignified final farewell.
The Association expressed hope for a prompt response from the Ministry of External Affairs and acknowledged its continued efforts to assist Indian citizens and their families facing distress abroad.
It reiterated that it remained in constant touch with the bereaved family and was ready to coordinate with the Ministry, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the concerned Bangladeshi authorities to facilitate the earliest possible repatriation of Adnan’s mortal remains.