Third-grader Raisa's body found at CMH

The body of Raisa Moni, an 11-year-old student, who went missing following the tragic BAF jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, has been found at Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital (CMH), a day after the incident.

Raisa, a third-grade student in the school's Bangla medium section, was identified yesterday afternoon by her father, Shahabul Sheikh, a relative informed the media in the evening.

When contacted around 5pm, her uncle Sagar Hossain told TBS he was heading to CMH after receiving a call informing him that she had been found there.

According to media reports, Raisa suffered burns on 80% of her body, mostly from the abdomen to the head. Raisa's body has since been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for DNA sampling. Police have stated that her remains will be handed over to the family once sample collection is complete.

Earlier yesterday, Raisa's uncle discovered her burnt schoolbag and torn books near the site of the crash. But there was no trace of Raisa herself.

Since Monday, Sagar and the rest of Raisa's family had been searching for her tirelessly in hospitals. From the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital to nearby facilities in Uttara, the family combed hospital corridors and wards in the hope of finding her. 

Originally from Bajra village under Gopalpur union in Faridpur's Alfadanga upazila, Raisa lived with her family in Dhaka's Mirpur. She was the middle child of three siblings, with an older sister and a younger brother, media reports said citing family sources.

Her cousin Tariqul Sheikh told reporters yesterday, "We searched for her everywhere. Today, we finally found her, but she is no longer with us."

The family plans to take her body back to their ancestral home in Faridpur, where she will be laid to rest.