A special public prosecutor (PP) of Rangpur has been "missing" since Friday morning.  

Advocate Rathish Chandra Bhowmik, 55, represented the state in Hoshi Kunio and Khadem Rahman Ali murder cases.

He has gone missing just 12 days after a Rangpur court sentenced seven members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to death for killing Khadem Rahmat Ali in Kaunia upazila of the district in 2015.

Dipa Bhowmik, wife of the missing lawyer, said her husband usually leaves home for work around 8:30am.

But at around 6:00am on Friday, a man, wearing punjabi-pajama, visited him at their residence in Alamnagar Babu Para area, said the wife.  

Rathish then hurriedly finished his work and left home boarding the unidentified man's motorcycle. He told his wife that he would return home by noon.

At around 7:00am, his wife made a phone call but his mobile phone was found switched off. She rang up her husband's number around 3:00pm again, but found it off again.

Family members then searched for him at every possible place, but in vain.   

Later, Shusanta Bhowmik, brother of Rathish, informed the matter to police on Friday night. Yesterday, he filed a general diary with Rangpur Sadar Police Station. 

But there was no trace of the missing lawyer till filing of the report as of 7:30pm yesterday.

A lawyer by profession, Rathish is also involved in other activities. He is the general secretary of Sammilito Sangskritik Jot of Rangpur district unit, vice president of Rangpur District Lawyers' Association, law affairs secretary of district Awami League (AL), and a trustee of Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Oikya Parishad in the district.

Rathish was the PP of the cases filed over the murder of Japanese national Hoshi Kunio and Khadem Rahmat Ali on October 3 and November 10 in 2015 respectively.

The special judge court of Rangpur sentenced five members of militant Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to death in Japanese national Hoshi Kunio murder case on February 28 last year. The same court convicted seven JMB militants to death for killing Khadem Rahmat Ali on March 18 this year. Besides, he was a witness in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azaharul Islam, who was sentenced to death, by the ICT court.

Yesterday, the family, members of Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Oikya Parishad, and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad jointly organised a press conference at Rangpur Press Club, demanding that the law enforcers find out the missing lawyer. 

They alleged that the public prosecutor had received death threats at different times in the past.

Bonomali Pal, president of Rangpur unit of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, alleged that militant groups might be behind his abduction. 

In this regard, Rathish filed a general diary with Rangpur Sadar Police Station soon after the verdict in Japanese national murder case on February 28 last year, he said.

Police then provided him with security for four days.

He again received death threats after the verdict of Khadem Rahmat Ali on March 18 this year. This time he verbally informed it to police, but police did not take it seriously, Bonomali told the press conference.

Babul Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rangpur Sadar Police Station, said he was not aware of the death threats issued to the public prosecutor.

Police are looking into the incident seriously, he added. 

Rezaul Karim, general secretary of Rangpur district AL unit, claimed that a criminal group might have abducted Rathish to deteriorate the law and order in the district.

Maruf Hossain, additional SP of Rangpur, said they are trying their level best to rescue the missing lawyer. 

DEMONSTRATIONS IN RANGPUR CITY 

Yesterday, people demonstrated in Rangpur city demanding the rescue of Rathish.

Locals, AL activists, and Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Oikya Parishad members took part in the separate demonstrations.

Roads and rail lines were blocked in Tajhat, Alamgagar and GL Roy road areas. Tyres were also burnt at many places demanding his immediate rescue. Different organisations also formed human chains in front of Rangpur Press Club.

Rangpur unit of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad announced that it would form a human chain in front of the press club today.