The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Sarah Rahanuma.

Inspector Bachchu Mia, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, confirmed the information to Bangladeshi newspaper Dhaka Tribune.

A man named Sagar, who brought Sarah to the hospital, told the newspaper: "I saw the woman floating in Hatirjheel Lake. Later, she was brought to DMCH, where doctors declared her dead.”

In her last Facebook post, tagging one Fahim Faysal, the journalist had written: "It was nice having a friend like you. God bless you always. Hope, you'll fulfill all your dreams soon. I know we had a lots of planning together. Sorry, can't fulfill our plannings. May god bless you in every aspects of your life."

In another post, she had written: "It is better to die than to live a life akin to death."

Sheikh Hasina's son reacts

Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed described the incident as a brutal attack on freedom of expression in the country.

Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed posted on X: " Rahmuna Sara Gazi TV newsroom editor was found dead. Her body was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in the Dhaka city. This is another brutal attack on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Gazi TV is a secular news channel owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested a recently."

Wazed's mother and former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina fled to India earlier this month after her Awami League government collapsed amid severe violence over job quota protests.