Missing for over a month, wife complains to Coast Guard
"I see myself, the coast guard has taken my husband. They deny it.'' Mukta Khatun of Jaymonir Ghol area of Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat, adjacent to the Sundarbans, was speaking. Her husband Miraj Sheikh (30) has been missing for over a month. She has accused the Coast Guard of missing her husband.
Relatives said that Miraj used to ride motorcycles on rent besides fishing in the Sundarbans. On April 10 around 11 o'clock caught fish and came home to sleep. Earlier in the evening, he left home when he received several calls from an unknown number. Miraj was abducted by two men in plain clothes from in front of a tea shop in Thota area of Jayamoni around 7 pm. On hearing the news, Miraj's wife Mukta rushed to see Miraj being taken to Mongla in a speedboat of the Coast Guard.
This reporter spoke to a woman and three men from Ghol and Thota areas of Jayamoni who witnessed the incident. All four said they saw the Mirage being taken away by a Coast Guard speedboat. However, they refused to reveal their names.
While abducting Miraj, his motorcycle was left in the custody of shopkeeper Al-Amin. Later on April 21, a man identified as Coast Guard member Robin unlocked the motorcycle and took it away. However, on April 22, some of the Coast Guard brought the motorcycle back.
Al-Amin said the two men grabbed Miraz from the front of the shop. He admitted to leaving the motorcycle behind his shop.
An eyewitness woman told Prothom Alo, "Miraj took two people standing in the car (motorcycle) that day and pushed and pushed him. In front of this, Ladivanga is flying home with a butterfly on the treetop. After that, the jetty was taken to the wharf. There, Tuila tortures Miraj in a boat. At that time, Aretta was covering her face as she gave the cheek. Later he took another boat and went to Chili. Many people are watching. When he asked how he saw it at night, he said, "Tinda bati chel in Paltun." All are well known.
Miraj's sister Liza Islam said, "The next day on the 11th, we went to the Coast Guard office in Digraj, Mongla. When we wanted to meet the brother there, we were told, "He is on a mission, come in the afternoon." In the afternoon, they refused - there is no Miraj. Since then we have been running everywhere.' He said, 'My father is ill (paralysed). can't run Brother has a seven year old son. Bhabhi and mother are running everywhere with the baby. Not found anywhere.'
On May 8, a press conference was held at Mongla Press Club on behalf of the family seeking to trace Miraz Sheikh. Before that, wife Mukta Khatun filed a general diary (GD) at Mongla police station on April 23. Apart from this, on May 14, Mukta Khatun has sent a letter to the Home Minister, Director General of Coast Guard, Inspector General of Police, Secretary of Public Security Department of Home Ministry, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and other relevant departments to search for her husband and investigate the incident.
Mukta Khatun comments, 'We are not getting any information. If he commits any crime, becomes a criminal, he should be jailed. Will you lose like this? I don't know what he is doing....What should we do, we have nothing to do." He said in a tearful voice, "My son is 7 years old. The boy cries a lot. what to do There is nothing to do! This is 1 month and 1 week, go around like a madman, look for it! Can't be found in Konohan.'
The media officer of the Coast Guard West Zone, Lt. denied that Miraz Sheikh was detained or apprehended. Commander Mahbub Hossain. He said on WhatsApp at 7:30 pm on Saturday, "We don't have any information about him." We came to know from the police station after it was reported that he was missing. We have not found any truth in their (Miraj's family) complaint.
Mahbub Hossain claimed that it is not known whether Miraj has disappeared at all or where he has gone, and said, 'Here is another thing to note, on the last 21st we were catching a robber named Samad. Samad, second-in-command of Chhota Sumon army in Sundarbans, during questioning named five people associated with their group. Miraj's name was among those five. Later, on April 22, a joint operation took place. At this time we arrested two of those five people. Then Mirage was also searched. But he was not found that day. And after that operation on 22nd, his family lodged a GD at the police station on 23rd stating that Miraj was missing.' Things are very suspicious.'
Lt. Commander Mahbub Hossain said that after learning about the incident, an investigation has been carried out. None of their speedboats went in that direction that day. Two Coast Guard operations are underway to suppress bandits in the Sundarbans. After the start of that campaign, some vested interests are influencing some people to protect their interests. He also alleged that they are trying to tarnish the reputation of the Coast Guard. Claiming that the fact that Miraj's family went to the Coast Guard office in Digraj on April 11 is also not correct, he said, "We later found out about Miraj, that she is involved with Chhota Suman Force." Mirage was the logistics provider of the bandits. His father Mustafa Sheikh is also a surrendered bandit of Sundarbans. We cannot hold anyone for more than 24 hours after arrest. We have no record of ever meeting any convict or detainee here. It is not known whether anyone else has been arrested in the name of Coast Guard.
According to local people, Bachchu Howladar (40) of Thota area of Jayamoni was picked up from his house by a joint team of Coast Guard and RAB on April 22, 11 days after Mirage was captured. Bachchu's family said that he was handed over to Mongla Police Station in the arms case that night. The two families have confirmed to Prothom Alo that Bachchu and the missing Mizan used to go fishing in the Sundarbans at the same time. Bachchu's wife Celina Begum said that after the arrest, her husband was asked about 'Suman'. Suman is the head of a gang of bandits in the Sundarbans.
According to a source, Miraj was also accused of being involved with the gang. However, the family says that he had no contact with any robber. But now they (forest bandits) have to pay money to go to the forest.
Local people said that the police went to the area and inquired about Miraj. They have recorded the statements of several eyewitnesses. Video and written.
Officer-in-charge of Mongla police station Atiqur Rahman told Prothom Alo on the phone, "There has been a GD regarding the disappearance of Miraj Sheikh." We are searching. There is no result to tell so far. Avoiding the complaint of the family of the missing person, he said that there is no case against Miraj.
