Three schoolgirls from Pabna who left home saying they were going to school but instead travelled toward the border area were rescued in Kurigram with the help of police.
Pabna Sadar Police handed the three teenagers over to their families on Monday afternoon. The incident took place on Sunday, Sept 27.
All three are students of Char Ashutoshpur High School in Pabna Sadar. One studies in Class Eight and the other two are in Class Six. They live in the same area, and two of them are relatives.
According to their families and police, the financial condition of the three families is normal. Some of their parents work in furniture-related jobs, while others are employed as workshop labourers.
Police and family members said one of the girls had reportedly been facing taunts from family members over her appearance and an eye problem for a long time. This allegedly caused resentment, and she eventually began thinking about leaving home.
She also developed an interest in online videos and entertainment content, as well as South Korean music group BTS. The girl reportedly told her two classmates about a plan to leave the country through a border area. The other two subsequently decided to accompany her.
Following their plan, the three girls met near their school at around 10am on Sunday but did not attend classes. They travelled by auto-rickshaw to Ananta Mor in Pabna and then took another auto-rickshaw to the Pabna bus terminal.
From there, they boarded a bus to Natore, then travelled through Rangpur before reaching Kurigram.
Their families claimed that one of the girls took around Tk1 lakh kept by the family when leaving home.
After reaching the Kurigram bus terminal before evening, the girls began looking for somewhere to spend the night. While searching, they entered an unfamiliar neighbourhood, where their movements aroused suspicion among members of the family of a local police officer.
Sub-Inspector Taj Uddin of Kurigram Sadar Police Station lives in the neighbourhood. His wife noticed the three unfamiliar girls and spoke to them.
Sensing something unusual from their conversation and behaviour, she took them to her home, arranged food for them and allowed them to rest.
She later informed SI Taj about the girls. He and his wife tactfully obtained a family contact number from the teenagers and contacted their relatives, informing them that the girls were safe and with them. The matter was also reported to the relevant police station.
Meanwhile, the families became worried when the girls did not return home. Separate general diaries were filed at Pabna Sadar Police Station regarding their disappearance.
As three minors from the same school had gone missing together, Pabna District Police took the matter seriously and launched efforts to locate them.
Pabna police later confirmed the girls’ location through communication with SI Taj of Kurigram Sadar Police Station. With assistance from Kurigram police, the three teenagers were safely rescued and reunited with their families.
Pabna Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tarikul Islam said separate general diaries had been filed by the families after the girls went missing.
“We took the matter seriously and worked to locate them. Their whereabouts were confirmed through a sub-inspector of Kurigram Sadar Police Station. Later, with the assistance of Kurigram police, the three girls were safely rescued and handed over to their families,” he said.
