Child kidnappers have become active in the capital and on its outskirts as law enforcers have arrested four suspected female abductors with victims in the last two days.
During the period, law enforcers have also rescued three abducted children from the possession of the abductors.
Police arrested a woman named Nur Nazma Akhter Alias Lupa Talukder on charges of abducting nine-year-old girl Zinia. Lupa allegedly abducted Zinia after offering her money, investigators found.
Lupa used to tell people that she was a journalist working for different media outlets. Law enforcers are looking into whether Lupa has any links with any trafficking racket.
On Sunday night, police rescued Zinia from Narayanganj and arrested Lupa in Amtola area of Fatullah.
Lupa was put on a two-day remand in an abduction case filed with Shahbagh Police Station in capital Dhaka.
Mishu Biswas, additional deputy commissioner at Ramna Division of police, said that Lupa has a criminal record.
“She was once accused in a triple murder case. Besides, there are allegations of fraudulence against her,” the police officer said.
Zinia, who used to sell flowers in Dhaka University’s TSC area, was abducted on September 1. Zinia lives with her mother and two siblings in TSC area.
After Zinia went missing, her mother Senura Begum told reporters that she last saw her daughter talking to two women near Suhrawardy Udyan.
Lupa’s Facebook profile mentions that she is the managing director of Agnee TV, the general secretary of Bangladesh Awami Peshajibi League, and former student affairs secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League.
She also used to tell people that she was a senior crime reporter at different newspapers, online portals and TV channels, and a member of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists.
ADC Mishu Biswas said, “She claimed to be a member of the National Press Club, but could not provide any proof. She just gave us a business card of Mohona TV where she claims to have worked once. She could provide nothing else.”
Mahbub Alam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch at Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said police officers are looking into whether she has any links to child traffickers.
Detectives arrested two suspected child abductors — Rasheda and Fatema — from Dhamrai area in Dhaka on Thursday.
The striking team also rescued an abducted three-year-old child, Shahadat Hossain, on Wednesday night. The boy was abducted from Shah Ali area of Mirpur on September 5.
Meanwhile, RAB personnel rescued a nine-year-old child who was abducted from Pallabi area.
The crime-busting team also arrested another female abductor, Sumi Begum, in connection with the abduction.
RAB-4 Assistant Director Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury said an RAB team rescued abducted Mithila and arrested the abductor from Pallabi area on Wednesday afternoon.
In the face of the RAB interrogation, the arrestee confessed to her involvement in the abduction of the child.