Schoolgirl rescued from Cox’s Bazar 7 days after abduction; RAB arrests 2
Following the incident, her family filed an abduction case with Dhanmondi Model Police Station
A schoolgirl who was abducted from the capital's Dhanmondi area was rescued from Cox's Bazar seven days later, while two suspected abductors, including the main accused, were arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion.
Assistant Director of RAB-15 Cox's Bazar Battalion (Legal and Media) and Assistant Superintendent of Police AM Faruk confirmed the matter in a press release sent to the media on Tuesday.
The arrestees were identified as Tawhid Mohammad Mostakim, 33, son of Rafiqul Islam from the Atipara area of Uttara in Dhaka, and Md Abu Sayeed, 24, son of Md Khorshed Alam from Ward No 2 of Rajapalong Union in Ukhiya upazila of Cox's Bazar.
The victim, a 15-year-old eighth-grade student of Maple Leaf International School in Dhaka, was allegedly abducted from in front of her residence on Road 13/A in Dhanmondi on 6 May, according to case documents cited by AM Faruk.
The documents said a group of assailants forcibly took her away in a white Hiace microbus.
Following the incident, her family filed an abduction case with Dhanmondi Model Police Station. The incident drew nationwide attention after it was reported in the media.
After the incident came to RAB's notice, intelligence surveillance was increased to rescue the abducted student and arrest the suspects.
On Tuesday night, RAB received information that the schoolgirl and several suspects involved in the incident were staying at a house in front of the Bangladesh Betar Cox's Bazar regional office in the Link Road area of Jhilongjha Union under Cox's Bazar Sadar.
When a RAB team cordoned off the suspected house, two to three people tried to flee. Two were arrested after a chase, while others managed to escape. Later, the team searched the house and rescued the schoolgirl.
Citing the preliminary confessions of the arrestees, the RAB official said the suspects had been harassing the schoolgirl for a long time.
According to RAB, they allegedly abducted the girl and took her to Cox's Bazar after she rejected a romantic proposal from Tawhid Mohammad Mostakim.
"The rescued schoolgirl was handed over to her relatives, while the arrestees were handed over to Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station for legal action," AM Faruk said.
