Meghalaya to Return Body of Prominent Bangladeshi Political Leader

SHILLONG: Arrangements have been made for bringing back the body of Ishaque Ali Khan Panna, a member of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League, with the help of India's Ministry of External Affairs and Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The paperwork was completed on Friday at the East Jaintia Hills police station and the Deputy Commissioner's office in Meghalaya.

The Meghalaya government, following directives from the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs in consultation with the Bangladesh High Commission had planned the movement to Bangladesh on Saturday morning as it was too late for the transfer of Panna's body.

An official of the Bangladesh High Commission, who was delegated the duty on behalf of Panna's family, arrived in Meghalaya and arranged the formalities associated with the identification and repatriation of the body to Pirojpur district of Bangladesh. Authorities said the body identified as that of Panna at the Khliehriat Civil Hospital mortuary.

The body will be taken by road via the Dawki land port, and BSF of India along with BGB of Bangladesh is coordinating to facilitate a smooth transfer of the body. Sources said that the transfer would start at 5 AM from Khliehriat Civil Hospital in Meghalaya.

The post-mortem report received from Khliehriat Civil Hospital explained that Ishaque Ali Khan Panna died due to throttling. Meghalaya's Deputy Chief Minister for Home Affairs, Prestone Tynsong, said the findings of the post-mortem report confirmed it and said the Forensic Science Laboratory is continuing its investigation.

Tynsong said that Panna's body could have been left behind in Indian soil. This despite a night curfew along the India-Bangladesh border, which was put up in view of the unrest in Bangladesh and to prevent cross-border infiltration.

Tynsong stated that though the overall situation is being handled by the Ministry of External Affairs and Home Affairs, the main job of the state government is to ensure the transfer of Panna's body.

The body of Ishaque Ali Khan Panna was recovered on August 26 from a betel nut plantation in Dona Bhoi village, East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya near the India-Bangladesh border.

The sensitive nature of the case saw the authorities maintain a secrecy regarding the recovery. The details of Panna's death and disposal of his body in the Indian territory are now being enquired into by various security agencies.

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