Khulna’s Rahima Begum, who was rescued from a house in Faridpur’s Boalmari upazila, has been handed over to Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Doulatpur Police Station, said Rahima who remained missing for the last 29 days was rescued on Saturday night alive.
Molla Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (north), said now PBI will investigate the missing incident of Rahima. “We hope we will unearth the motive.”
Rahima, who had gone missing on August 27, was rescued from a house on Saturday night in Faridpur’s Boalmari upazila.
She had been staying there since September 17, said police.
Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Deputy Commissioner (North) Molla Jahangir Hossain revealed the information at a press briefing at Doulatpur police station of Khulna around 2:30 am on Sunday.
However, Rahima is not answering to any of the questions of police and remained “speechless” since she was brought under police custody, said Molla Jahangir.
Based on intelligence team’s information, a team of KMP conducted a drive at the house of Quddus Molla in Syedpur village of Faridpur’s Boalmari Upazila and found Rahima safe on Saturday night.
Rahima Begum was brought to Daulatpur police station around 2 am.
Police also detained three people, including two women, from the house for questioning.
Relatives of Quddus told police that Rahima had been staying in the house since September 17.
In this regard, Rahima’s son Sadi said, “Since my mother was rescued alive, she herself will say about the disappearance.”
“If someone from my family is found involved in the incident, the administration will take action,” he added.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) will further investigate the matter, said Molla Jahangir.
On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had stepped out to fetch water near her home in the Banikpara area of Doulatpara upazila in Khulna around 10pm.
Her children found her sandals, scarf and the pitcher she was carrying from the spot.
The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which an FIR was lodged by the cops against some people.
On September 13, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to the Khulna court to transfer the case to the PBI, said Rahima’s elder daughter Moriom Mannan.
The same day the court ordered the police to hand over the case to the PBI.
So far, six people have been arrested in this case. They are Rahima’s second husband Belal Howladar, Mohiuddin, Palash, Jewel, Helal Sharif, and assistant engineer at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Golam Kibria.
As the case was investigated by the PBI, a remand appeal made by the police to interrogate Rahima’s second husband Belal remains pending for hearing, said police.
Rahima’s family resorted to sticking ‘missing’ posters in Khulna city in the hope they will get their mother back.
Finally on Thursday night, Moriom Mannan wrote in a Facebook post that they had found their mother’s body in Mymensingh. However, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Khulna’s Daulatpur police station and Mymensingh police couldn’t confirm the matter.