Police rescue 4-year-old child tortured in locked room in Narayanganj
The child, who had multiple injury marks on his body during his rescue, is now under the care of the Department of Social Services.
A four-year-old boy who was allegedly confined and tortured by his drug-addicted father in a locked room in Narayanganj's Kashipur Union has been rescued by police with the help of locals.
The rescue took place on Saturday night (27 September) in the Shantinagar area of the union, with the child's father, Sohel Mia, accused of torturing him, absconding since the incident.
Shariful Islam, officer-in-charge of Fatullah Model Police Station, said, "We received information that a child was being confined and tortured in a locked room. Police broke the lock, rescued him and sent him to the hospital."
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"The child had multiple injury marks on his body. He has now been handed over to the Department of Social Services."
Tasleema Akter, child protection officer at the district Department of Social Services office, said the child is extremely weak and malnourished, requiring further treatment.
After medical care, he will be placed in the government-run children's home according to his age, she added.
Meanwhile, Narayanganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Taslima Nasrin said, "After learning about the incident, we instructed Fatullah police to take legal action. The child is currently under the care of the Department of Social Services, and we are covering all medical expenses."
According to locals, Sohel, who they say is addicted to drugs, divorced the child's mother two years ago. Initially, the mother took the child with her, but Sohel later forcibly took him back.
Since then, he had kept the child in a state of starvation and would beat him whenever he cried or asked for food.
Neighbour Nazrul Mia said, "Sometimes he (Sohel) bought chips, bread or juice from shops [for the child]. But most of the time, Sohel was intoxicated and lay around without caring for the child.
"The child cried constantly out of hunger. A few days ago, when a woman protested after seeing the child's condition, Sohel beat her, too."
Nazrul said neighbours later consulted a social organisation in Dhaka, which advised them to inform the police.
