‘Missing’ woman of Khulna found in Faridpur; police say she was ‘in hiding’

Her daughter Moriom Mannan’s appeal for help on social media drew huge response

Rahima Begum, the woman who went ‘missing’ from her home in Khulna nearly a month ago, has been found in Faridpur.

Police claim she was ‘in hiding’, after appeals by her daughter Moriom Mannan on social media drew huge response. Demonstrations were also organised to demand the authorities find her swiftly.

Md Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan, commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, said Rahima was found at a house in Syedpur village of Faridpur’s Boalmari around 10:30pm on Saturday.

“She herself went into hiding,” the police commissioner said.

Abdul Ohab, chief of Boalmari Police Station in Faridpur, said a police team from Khulna was escorting Rahima to Khulna after rescuing her.

Rahima, 55, went ‘missing’ from her home at Banikpara in Khulna’s Maheshwarpasha on Aug 27.

Her four daughters, including Moriom whose Facebook posts seeking help went viral, began searching for her. The family also held a press conference.

Last Thursday, Moriom took to Facebook to say a body was found in Mymensingh and she believed it was her mother.

The four sisters travelled to Mymensingh and Moriom confirmed it was indeed her mother, but police sought to conduct DNA tests to confirm the identity of the woman because the body had decomposed.

After Saturday’s development, Moriom said, “No one will be happier than me if my mother is truly found.”

In a Facebook post, she said police informed her about the development.

The law enforcers arrested six people, including Rahima’s husband Helal Howlader, in a case filed by one of her daughters.