Nur Nazma Akhter Alias Lupa Talukder, 42, who was arrested on charges of abducting nine-year-old florist girl Zinia, is a woman of mysterious character. She used to tell people that she was a journalist working for different media outlets.
Her Facebook profile says she is a political leader, a budding poet and an NGO employee. Some photos of
her posing with leaders of the ruling party have been doing the rounds on social media. After arrested, according to many on Facebook, there are several cases in his name including kidnapping and human trafficking.
Investigators say she abducted Zinia after offering her money. They are working to discover into whether Lupa has links with any trafficking racket.
Police on Sunday night rescued Zinia from Narayanganj and arrested Lupa from Amtola area of the city’s Fatullah. Lupa is now on a two-day remand in an abduction case filed with Shahbagh Police Station.
Police did not believe what Lopa saying. In the interrogation, About the abduction, Lupa told officers that she felt sympathetic towards Zinia and took her home. But she did not seek permission from Zinia’s mother or inform police. However, police said the actual motive might be different.
Mahbub Alam, joint commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The New Nation that officers are looking into whether she has links with child traffickers.
Mishu Biswas, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Division of police, told The New nation that The daughter of Lopa Talukdar was with him on the day of the incident. We were finding her daughter.
“There are also allegations about her living. Lupa has a criminal record. She was once accused in a triple-murder case. Besides, there were allegations of fraudulence against her. Her husband died in a road accident.” Mishu Biswas added
Investigators said Lopa identified herself as a journalist, has taken a lot of money by promising to give jobs from many people. Two men have already lodged a GD with Shahbagh and Motijheel police stations. Now they are preparing a case against Lopa
Zinia, who used to sell flowers in Dhaka University’s TSC area, was abducted on September 1. Zinia lives with her mother and two siblings in TSC area. After she went missing, her mother Senura Begum told reporters that she last saw her daughter talking to two women near Suhrawardy Udyan.
Lupa’s Facebook profile mentions that she is the managing director of Agnee TV, the general secretary of Bangladesh Awami Peshajibi League, and former student affairs secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League.
She also used to claim to people that she was a senior crime reporter of different newspapers, online portals and TV channels, and a member of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists.
On her Facebook page, she is seen receiving the Cyclone Preparation Programme (CPP) Award 2019 from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
Many on social media criticised her apparent connection with the ruling party and the journalists’ associations. Police said Lupa has yet to prove what she said about her profession was true.
ADC Mishu Biswas said, “She claimed to be a member of the press club, but could not provide any proof. She just gave us a business card of Mohona TV where she claims to have worked once. She could provide nothing else.”
Lupa told officers that she is a former BCL leader and now works for the ruling party’s unit for professionals, Mishu told The New nation.
Lupa’s Facebook page, where she posted her photos with ruling party leaders and ministers and her poems, has over 10,000 followers.
