Police and Fire Service personnel recovered the body of a private car driver from a pond in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla on Saturday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Iqbal Hossain Sohag, 38, son of the late Abdul Manik of West Shahinagar area under Bayezid Bostami Police Station in Chattogram city. Sohag worked as the personal driver for businessman Kazi Naderuzzaman of Chiora Kazi Bari.
According to local sources, Sohag went for a bath in the Chiora Kazi Bari pond along with others on Friday before Jummah prayers. While the others exited the pond, Sohag stayed behind in the water to pick water lilies. When he failed to return by Friday afternoon, a GD was filed with Chauddagram Police Station.
On Saturday morning, a diving team from Chandpur joined two units of the Chauddagram Fire Service to search the pond. After an operation lasting over three hours, divers recovered his body from the pond around noon.
Chauddagram Fire Service In-charge Mehdi Hasan confirmed the recovery, said that Sohag might have suffered a stroke while in the water, though the exact cause of death will be confirmed following an autopsy.
Chauddagram Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Arefin said that police recovered the body with the assistance of the fire service and brought it to the station. Further legal details will be confirmed after receiving the autopsy report.