Rahima in hiding again, son says she staged own abduction

Rahima Begum, who was found last month 28 days after her disappearance from Khulna, has gone into hiding again, with her son Miraj Al Shadi testifying in the court that she staged her own abduction.

Shadi gave the statement in the court of Khulna Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sarwar Ahmed on Monday afternoon, said Khulna Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Superintendent of Police (SP) Syed Mushfiqur Rahman.

"Mohammed Miraj Al Shadi came to the PBI office at around 12 o'clock and expressed his interest in giving a statement against his mother. Later, the police took him to court," he said.

"He [Shadi] has given a statement under section 22 in the court, seeking her mother's trial. He said Rahima Begum told lies while hiding in different places. His mother's lies hurt his ego and that is why he voluntarily gave a statement to the court asking for his mother's trial," added the police official.

In hiding again

Rahima Begum left her daughters' home two days ago and her whereabouts are unknown, Mariam Mannan, one of Rahima's daughter, said over mobile phone on Monday afternoon.

"My brother Shadi told me that my mother is nowhere to be found. Later, I called my younger sister Aduri and she said the same. No one knows where she went. This time, we will not look for her," Mariam said, adding, "After she was rescued from Faridpur, the court gave her custody to Aduri and I came to Dhaka with her and Aduri"

She also said, "My mother claimed in the court that she was beaten during the abduction. But, when we took her to doctors in Dhaka, they said there was no mark spot on her body. Later, she was taken to a psychiatrist. They also found no problem. She used to cry, create chaos and did not want to be with us.

"Later on 1 October, Aduri and my mother were sent to Khulna. Today, Aduri said our mother went missing a day or two ago. She cannot say the exact time," said Mariam.

She also said her father died when she was 13-years-old and her mother raised them.

"We knew a beautiful mother. But now we do not recognise her. I cannot defame my mother, so I will not say anything to the media," she said.

Asked about her brother's statement in court, Mariam said, "I have heard the matter. If the court wants me to testify, I will tell only the truth. We have faith in the court of law."

PBI SP Mushfiqur Rahman said, "The court gave her custody to her daughter Aduri, not to us. So, it is not up to us to know where she is."

Earlier, on 25 September, Rahima Begum was rescued from Syedpur village of Faridpur's Boalmari upazila.

According to the police, a person named Quddus Molla used to stay in Rahima Begum's house in Khulna on rent several years ago. His house is in Syedpur village, where Rahima was found.

Although Rahima claimed that she had been kidnapped because of a land dispute she had with some locals, police said Rahima went into hiding herself.

On 23 September, three daughters of Rahima Begum, including Mariam, claimed that the body of a woman which was recovered 12 days ago in Mymensingh was their mother's.

However, Mariam was informed by the police that it is not possible to confirm the identity of the body without a DNA test.

On September 14, a court ordered the case to be transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). The PBI then accepted the documents on 17 September, following due process. PBI Inspector Abdul Mannan was given the charge to investigate the case.