War crime witness Rathis Bhowmik goes missing in Rangpur

Advocate Rathis Bhowmik, a witness in a war crime case, went missing, his family said.

A general diary was filed with the Rangpur Kotwali Police Station on Saturday morning.

Inspector Babul Mian, chief of the police station, said his brother Shushanta Bhowmik, a journalist, filed the GD as the lawyer did not return home.

Rathis left home with another man riding on a red motorbike around 6am on Friday but did not return home yet, said his wife Dipa Bhowmik.

Dipa said she does not know the motorbike rider who drove Rathis away.

Rathis is a witness in the war crime case filed against Jammat-e-Islami Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam. He is also a public prosecutor for the murders of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi and shrine caretaker Rahmat Ali.

Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman told bdnews24.com that Rathis’s family informed him about his missing at 11pm on Friday.

“We are trying to trace him. His mobile is switched off.”

Shushanta said: “I was in Dhaka for emergency work. As soon as I got the news, I returned home and filed the GD.”

District Awami League President Mamtaj Uddin Ahmed said, “We have requested the police to find out lawyer Rathis as soon as possible. We are also trying.”