New Delhi [India], May 22 : A Member of Parliament (MP) from Bangladesh's ruling party Awami League has allegedly gone missing in India since May 18, triggering a high-level search operation.
Anwarul Azim, the allegedly missing MP, entered India on May 12 and was last seen on the afternoon of May 13 when he went with friends to a home in Bidhannagar near Kolkata for a medical check-up.
According to a family friend in Kolkata's Bidhannagar, the MP mentioned he would be travelling to Delhi, but there has been no physical presence or direct contact with him since May 13. Only mobile messages have been exchanged with his family in Dhaka and his friend in Bidhannagar, indicating his intended journey to Delhi.
Concerned by the lack of communication and his sudden alleged disappearance, the MP's family friend, Gopal Viswas, who was informed by the MP's daughter of her inability to contact her father, lodged a missing person complaint at the Baranagar police station in Bidhannagar. Kolkata.
"On the morning of May 16, he (Anwarul Azim) called his assistant, but could not connect. Later, when his PA called him back, he did not answer," according to the complaint dated May 18, 2024.
"His daughter called me (Viswas), and said, I can't communicate with my father. Then I (Viswas) contacted all his (Anarul Azim's) acquaintances on the phone, but it was not possible to contact him," it added.
"I was then requested to come to Baranagar police station on May 18 to register the complaint in the missing diary," a copy of the complaint said.
Indian authorities have launched an investigation, with efforts being coordinated by the High Commissioner in Delhi and the Bangladesh Consulate in Kolkata. However, they are yet to release an official statement regarding the MP's alleged disappearance.
"Family and friends of the MP have stated that his visit to India was primarily for medical purposes. They have formally informed the higher authorities in the Bangladesh Parliament and the High Commissioner, who are actively involved in the search operation," a Bangladeshi embassy official told ANI.
As the investigation progresses, both Bangladeshi and Indian authorities are collaborating to uncover any leads and ensure the MP's safe return. Further updates are anticipated as the situation unfolds.
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