Two SSC examinees drowned in the Gorai River on Wednesday while taking a bath near Haripur Bridge in Sadar upazila of Kushtia district.
The deceased were identified as Apurbo Ifti Taif, 18, a student of The Old Kushtia High School and son of Saiful Islam, and Sakibul Islam, 19, a student of Kushtia Zilla School and son of Nurul Islam, both residents of the upazila.
Witnesses said Taif and Sakibul went to the Gorai River for a bath after finishing their examinations in the afternoon.
At one stage, both of them sank into the river.
Seeing them drowning, locals rescued them and took them to Kushtia General Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Resident Medical Officer of the 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital Dr Iqbal Hasan said the students were brought to the hospital around 4:30 pm and were found dead upon examination.
Assistant Director of Kushtia Fire Service and Civil Defence Md Wadud Hossain said locals had already rescued the victims and sent them to the hospital before firefighters reached the scene.
A pall of gloom descended on the area following the incident.