Rahima’s statement on ‘disappearance’ misleading: PBI

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has said that the statement given by Rahima Begum, who was found alive in Faridpur after remaining missing for 29 days, about her ‘disappearance’ to PBI and at the court is misleading.

However, they are verifying her statement given at the court, SP Syed Mushfiqur Rahman of PBI Khulna told UNB today.

So far, nothing has been found that proves Rahima’s statement to be true, said the PBI official. On Monday, the investigating officer visited the house of Quddus Mollah at Syedpur village in Faridpur, where Rahima had been staying since September 17. “We got important information there,” SP Mushfiqur said.

Now the investigation officer will go to Bandarban for further investigation as Rahima went to Islampur in Bandarban Sadar upazila, as per her statement in court.

Besides, police suspect involvement of Belal Hawlader, Rahima’s second husband, in her disappearance.

“We are hopeful of getting information if we interrogate him. We have submitted plea to the court for his remand,” the officer added.

In her statement, Rahima said she found herself in Chattogram Hill Tracts area after being abducted on August 27. She took up work at a hotel in Bandarban.

The hotel owner later offered her a job in a local camp for which her birth certificate and NID card were needed, she said.

For collecting birth registration and NID card, she went to Quddus Molla’s house, her acquaintance, at Syedpur village of Boalmari upazila under Faridpur district.

There, she reached out to Syedpur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Haque on September 16 for birth certificate and NID, stating that she was born in that village and used to live in Bagerhat for livelihood.

However, the UP chairman refused to issue those out of suspicion, said the PBI officer.

“We are still investigating the case and action will be taken if Rahima Begum gave false statements about her disappearance,” the PBI official said.

On September 25, Rahima Begum, who remained “missing” for 29 days, was handed over to her family after her statement was recorded in the court.

Later, she was taken to her younger daughter Aduri Akter’s house in Khulna’s Boyra area, said plaintiff’s lawyer Afruzzaman Tutul.

In her statement, Rahima provided detailed information on being “abducted over land dispute”. The night before, police rescued Rahima from Boalmari upazila of Faridpur.

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.

Six people Rahima accused over her abduction in the statement were also accused in a case filed over her going missing, following a complaint received from her children.