The two brothers who were found by the river police at the Chandpur launch terminal last Friday now want to return home. They are under the custody of Chandpur district social welfare office and suffering from cold for want of warm clothes.

The officer-in-charge of Chandpur river police, Abul Hashem, said Refat, 8, and Shefat, 6, were found by a team of river police at the launch ghat and detained immediately.The brothers said they live near Padma Saha School and College at Jhalkuri bus stand at Fatullah upazila in Narayanganj district.

Following the law, Refat and Shefat were put under the care and custody of the Chandpur social welfare office. Since then, they have been staying with the inmates of Chandpur Government Deaf and Dumb School in Chandpur Sadar.

The boys told this correspondent that they were feeling homesick and wanted to return home.  They said they had boarded a launch at the Narayanganj ghat while playing a game of hide-and-seek. They could not get off the launch, which reached Chandpur around Friday noon.