Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir central Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and former president of its Cumilla West district unit, Jisan Mia Pradhan, who was reported missing from Daudkandi on Friday night, and rumoured to have been abducted by state forces (enforced disappearance)was not abducted but had voluntarily gone into hiding to avoid the consequences of a rape allegation, Cumilla district police claimed on Saturday.
The information was disclosed by Cumilla Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Anisuzzaman at a press conference held at the district police office around 3pm.
According to police, Jisan’s cousin, Md Russell Ahmed, filed a General Diary (GD) with Daudkandi Model Police Station on June 12, stating that Jisan had gone missing from the Daudkandi Bazar area around 8:30pm on June 11.
Following the GD, multiple police teams launched an investigation using information technology and intelligence-based tracking.
During the investigation, police found that Jisan had become acquainted with a 25-year-old widow through Facebook about five to six months ago and later developed a romantic relationship with her.
Police claimed that on May 20, Jisan allegedly raped the woman at his rented residence in Daudkandi by promising to marry her. The woman later alleged that she was subjected to sexual relations multiple times under the same promise, resulting in pregnancy.
According to the complaint, she was later pressured to terminate the pregnancy and was given medication to abort the baby.
Police said that when the woman began pressing for marriage, Jisan assured her that he would marry her on June 12. However, in order to avoid her, he allegedly went into hiding on the night of June 11.
The investigation initially revealed that the missing incident had been portrayed as an abduction and that the GD had been filed through his cousin to support that narrative, police said.
Meanwhile, local residents apparently found Jisan in an unconscious state in the Laksam Junction Road area of Cumilla city around 9:45pm on Friday. Laksam police later took custody of him and admitted him in hospital.
After regaining consciousness, Jisan claimed that he had been abducted and transported in a vehicle. However, police said there was no evidence supporting an abduction occurring.
The woman with whom he carried on the affair, meanwhile, has filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with Daudkandi Model Police Station.
In the case, Jisan was named as the principal accused along with three others on charges of rape, aiding and abetting rape, causing abortion and criminal intimidation.
Police said three people have been detained and are being questioned in connection with the case.
The investigation is ongoing, police added.