Cumilla Correspondent
Beauty Akhter (14), daughter of Md Jasim Uddin of Boro Laxmipur village in Dakshin Shilmuri union of Baruda upazila of Cumilla district, is in hiding after falling in love.
Md Sohag (15), son of Md Amir Hossain of Minnatnagar village of Baropara union of Cumilla Sadar Dakshin upazila, is working as a construction worker in Boro Laxmipur village of Shilmuri union. Beauty used to meet him on her way to and from Shilmuri High School. They developed a love affair afterwards.
Sohag brought Beauty to his home in Minnatnagar from Boro Laxmipur area on June 15 after proposing to her and promising to marry Beauty. After she went missing, her family searched the house of her relatives and found out her in the house of Sohag, son of Amir Hossain of Sadar Dakshin Upazila.
Upon hearing the news, Beauty's cousin Advocate Harun came and took Beauty to his house. Sohag later brought Beauty back to his own home. Sohag's father Amir Hossain tried to persuade local dignitaries and locals to keep Beauty as his daughter-in-law, but finally the journalists came to know about the matter teenager Beauty Akhter was saved from child marriage.
After receiving the news, some Cumilla district level journalists went to Amir Hossain's house on the morning of June 20 and asked Beauty in the presence of local UP members Md Mubarak Hossain, Lutfur Rahman, Joynal Abedin, Jamal Hossain, Dulal Mia and other villagers whether she had been kidnapped. Beauty replied that she was not abducted; she came on her own.
On June 21, Beauty's cousin Advocate Harun again came to Minnatnagar and took Beauty back home. Beauty is said to be in Harun's custody at the moment, but when asked where she was, he declined to comment.
