Mother, daughter believed to have been murdered found alive in Barisal

A woman and her daughter, who were believed to have been murdered about eleven years ago, have been found alive in Barisal. Members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) found the duo – Jotsna, 35, and her daughter Jiba, 17 – from their village home at Ichhagura under Chormonai union in Barisal Sadar upazila on Tuesday afternoon. Jotsna and Jiba were visiting Jotsna's father's house at the village when they were spotted by law enforcement officials. Jotsna was married to Ahammad Ullah of the same village about 17 years ago. Barisal CID Inspector Md Fariduzzaman said law enforcement had been investigating a double-murder since January 3 this year, but found the two victims alive 27 days after taking charge of the investigation. After she was found, Jotsna claimed she fled with her daughter Jiba to rid themselves of torture at the hands of her husband. Jotsna said she and her daughter had resorted to begging in different areas of Dhaka and Barisal over the years. However, on July 31, 2007, Jotsna's brother Sarwar Khan filed a case with Kotwali police station, accusing Ahammad and five others of the murder of his sister and niece. Sub-Inspector Mahbubur Rahman, the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to a Barisal court on November 23 of the same year, naming Ahammad and Ahammad's brother Shaheed as the prime accused. As no evidence or witness could be found during the trial, a Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal ordered to hand over the case to the CID for further investigation. Locals said that murder accused Ahammad had left the village to avoid police.