Missing Bangladeshi student found dead in Cyprus

The body of a Bangladeshi student who had been missing for nine days was recovered from a shallow grave in Cyprus on Sunday, while police arrested a suspect in connection with the alleged murder.

The deceased, identified as Shahriar Ahmed Emon, 22, was found buried near Kofinou in Larnaca district. Cypriot authorities suspect he was killed on the night of his disappearance on June 12.

Emon, son of Nasir Miah of Bakhar Nagar under Raipura upazila in Narsingdi, was living in Oroklini village in Larnaca while pursuing his studies.

According to local media reports, Emon left home on June 12 to travel by bus to a factory in Kofinou on what was reportedly his first day at work. Later that night, he shared his location with a friend through a mobile application and sent a message to his father, who was staying in Greece, seeking help. Shortly afterwards, his phone became unreachable.

Following his disappearance, Emon's family sought assistance from authorities in both Cyprus and Greece. In the days that followed, unidentified individuals allegedly contacted his father using Emon's phone and demanded ransom.

Police investigators believe the suspects staged a fake kidnapping in an attempt to extort money from the family.

After tracing the last known signal from Emon's mobile phone to Kofinou, law enforcement agencies launched an extensive investigation.

A 22-year-old suspect was later arrested and reportedly confessed to the killing during police interrogation. Based on information provided by the suspect, officers recovered the alleged murder weapon as well as several personal belongings of the victim.

Investigators said the suspect had previously met Emon on a bus. The suspect allegedly claimed that he committed the crime in retaliation for an earlier dispute. However, police believe the primary motive behind the murder was financial extortion.

According to investigators, the suspect lured Emon into a vehicle on the promise of a job opportunity, drove him to Kofinou, killed him and buried the body in a shallow grave.

Cyprus police have cordoned off the area where the body was recovered and are continuing forensic examinations. Authorities are also investigating whether others were involved in the crime and exploring possible additional motives.

TZ