A Tourist Police member was sued and suspended after being accused of abducting a schoolgirl in Kushtia, with the victim still missing 24 days after the incident.
The victim, a tenth grader at a local government school, lived with her family in Kushtia town.
Her mother has filed a case at Kushtia Model Police Station, naming tourist police member Swapan, 26, and several unidentified individuals as suspects.
According to the case statement, Swapan previously served in the Kushtia Tourist Police but is currently posted at the Tourist Police headquarters in Dhaka.
For the past five months, he had allegedly been harassing the girl by repeatedly proposing a relationship. After learning of the matter, her family warned her and barred any communication with him.
The complaint notes that on 18 November, at around 1pm, Swapan and two to three unidentified accomplices arrived on motorcycles and forcibly picked up the girl from the road in front of their rented home.
The family attempted to rescue her but failed, prompting them to file the case.
Investigating officer SI Kazi Shamsul Alam said police are conducting operations in multiple locations to rescue the victim and arrest the suspects, expressing hope that she would be found soon.
Contacted for comment, Dhaka Tourist Police SP Mokhlesur Rahman said the incident was under investigation at the local level. He confirmed, however, that the accused officer Swapan had been suspended.
Kushtia Model Police Station officer-in-charge Kabir Hossain Matubbor said police were making their highest effort to locate the victim.
“The suspects would be brought under the law and necessary action would follow upon investigation,” he said.
Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin said raids were ongoing to arrest the accused and recover the girl. He expressed confidence that she would soon be returned to her family.
The prolonged disappearance has caused widespread concern in the community.
The complainant said, “It has been 24-days, and my daughter has not been rescued. I do not know whether she is alive. We just want her back safely.”
