Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA) said on Wednesday that it has appealed to the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar for return of mortal remains of a Kashmiri medical student, who passed away in Bangladesh.
JKSA National Convenor Nasir Kheuhami said the association has sought expeditious repatriation of the mortal remains of Adnan Altaf Rathar, a Kashmiri MBBS student who was found dead in Bangladesh.
He expressed profound grief over the death of Adnan Altaf Rathar, son of Altaf Ahmad Rathar and a resident of Dangarpora area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Adnan was pursuing his MBBS at Eastern Medical College at Cumilla in Bangladesh.
The Association said that Adnan went missing late on November 2 after leaving his college campus at around 11:36 p.m. 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 initiated search operations.
Tragically, after nearly two days of search efforts, his mortal remains were recovered on Wednesday morning from a waterbody in Monipur village, around 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 post-mortem examination.
The exact circumstances surrounding his death are yet to be officially established and remain subject to investigation by the Bangladeshi authorities.
Khuehami said the incident has left the family devastated, particularly his mother Nighat, who is reportedly in Bangladesh and is confronting this immense loss away from home, without the immediate support of her family and loved ones.
He added that the Association has taken up the matter with the External Affairs Minister, urging immediate coordination between the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the concerned Bangladeshi authorities to expedite all necessary formalities, including the post-mortem report, death certificate, 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 ensure immediate logistical, administrative and humanitarian assistance to the bereaved mother and designate a responsible officer at the Indian High Commission to remain in direct contact with the family until the mortal remains are safely repatriated to India.
Khuehami emphasised that the family’s foremost concern is to bring Adnan’s mortal remains back to his homeland so that his last rites can be performed with dignity and in accordance with their religious and cultural traditions.
He said the Association stands ready to extend every possible assistance and coordinate with the concerned authorities to ensure that procedural and diplomatic formalities do not result in unnecessary delays.
Appealing for immediate and compassionate intervention, Khuehami urged S. Jaishankar to accord the matter the highest humanitarian priority, ensuring that the grieving mother receives all necessary support and that the family is able to bring their son home and bid him a final farewell with dignity.
The Association expressed hope for a prompt response from the Ministry of External Affairs and acknowledged its continued efforts in assisting Indian citizens and their families in distress abroad.
It reiterated that it remains in constant coordination with the bereaved family and stands ready to extend every possible assistance to the Ministry, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the concerned Bangladeshi authorities to facilitate the earliest possible repatriation of Adnan’s mortal remains.
