Missing Shohag home after 16 days

After staying missing for 16 days, Mizanur Rahman Shohag – the friend of Tonu’s brother – has turned up in a safe but disoriented state near his home in Comilla’s Narayansar village. Shohag said he had no clue about where he had been kept during this time as his captors blindfolded him as soon as he was picked up and put in a microbus. The local police, who were unable to locate Shohag during this time, said they still had no clue about where the 21-year-old had been held captive. They also did not speak to Shohag since his return. A week after Sohagi Jahan Tonu had been killed, men identifying themselves as law enforcers picked up Shohag from his home. “My arms and legs were tied and I was kept in a room. They would untie one hand during meals. There were several people in the room but I could neither identify them nor the place,” Shohag said at his house yesterday. “I did not commit any sin, so I was able to return [home]. Allah has kept me alive,” he added. Md Selim, Shohag’s paternal uncle, said he was returning from Fazr prayers when he found Shohag near Nazirabazar filling station. Shohag was neither tied up or blindfolded at the time, the uncle said. “I called his name repeatedly but he did not react at all. Finally, when I hugged him he showed a little movement and could only say Kaka [uncle],” Selim added. Khaleda Akhter, Shohag’s elder sister, said Shohag returned home wearing the same lungi he was wearing when he was picked up. “Shohag did not say anything about where he was. He just told us that he was fine and that he had to eat properly.” Shohag’s father Nurul Islam said some plainclothes men had identified themselves as law enforcers and picked up his son from the house on March 27. “My son organised a protest in the locality against the killing of Tonu. I think this is why RAB picked him up,” he added. Shohag’s mother Shahida Akhter said she was happy having her son back and had no complaints. Tonu’s brother Anwar, who studied with Shohag at Kalakchua Kazim Uddin Khondokar High School, said he was happy that Shohag was back home. Anwar said he often chatted with Shohag and received driving training from him. Burichang police station Officer-in-Charge Uttam Kumar Barua said they have been informed of the matter and police would visit Shohag’s residence soon. However, as of filing of this report at 9pm, no law enforcers visited Shohag’s family yesterday. Asked about the whereabouts of Shohag in the past 16 days, OC Barua said the police were clueless, and also did not know how he reached Nazirabazar – which has a police outpost in the area. Shohag went missing as protests against Tonu’s death were at its peak. Many of the protesters told the Dhaka Tribune that they stopped joining demonstrations soon after, fearing that they would also be detained. Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department yesterday interrogated several members of the Comilla Victoria Government College theatre, especially those who were close to Tonu. The investigation officer of the case, CID Inspector Gazi Mohammad Ibrahim, expressed his hopes of reaching a breakthrough in the case soon. Asked about when the report of the second autopsy was due, he quoted doctors as saying that more time would be needed. Seeking anonymity, a source close to the investigation, however, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had doubts whether the second autopsy would be of any use. Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a second-year history student of Comilla Victoria Government College and cultural activist, was found murdered near her residence inside the cantonment area on March 20. Her father Yaar Hossain, an office assistant of the Cantonment Board, filed a case with Kotwali police the next day without naming anyone. Investigators have so far failed to make any breakthrough. The Detective Branch of police was put in charge of the case on March 25, but the case was handed over to the CID the following day.