The body of a five-year-old boy was found inside a sack on the rooftop of a four-storey building in Ashulia, Savar, yesterday, around three hours after he went missing. A tenant of the building has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the killing.

The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahman, a resident of Bagbari village in Melandaha upazila of Jamalpur.

The body was recovered from the rooftop of a building owned by Harunur Rashid in Bhadail Pocchimpara at around 6:30pm, said Md Azgar Hossain, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station.

According to police and the victim's family, Abdur Rahman went missing after leaving home at around 3:30pm. His family searched the neighbourhood and surrounding areas but could not find him.

At around 6:30pm, Rina Begum, wife of the building owner, went to the rooftop to feed ducks she kept there. While trying to catch an escaped duck, she noticed a white plastic sack lying under a net.

"I became frightened after seeing the sack and started shouting. When everyone came upstairs, we found the child inside the sack and I fainted," she said, adding that neighbours then informed police.

Inspector Azgar said police received a call through the emergency service at around 6:45pm and reached the scene at about 7:15pm.

"Red adhesive tape had been wrapped around the child's neck, while rice and polythene had been stuffed into his mouth. The circumstances suggest it was a planned killing," he said.

Police arrested Saiful Islam, a tenant of the same building, on suspicion of involvement in the murder, the inspector added.

He was produced before a Dhaka court today, and police sought a five-day remand for further interrogation.