A member of Dhaka Bar Association went missing since Friday, said his family members at a press conference in the capital's Crime Reporters' Association yesterday.

They said to have filed a general diary (GD) with Pallabi Police Station the same night after advocate Shoukat Akbar, 42, did not return home since leaving his house around noon for juma prayers at a nearby mosque in Mirpur.

Advocate Shaukat Akbar

Requesting the prime minister's intervention for his safe return, Shoukat's wife Chania Akter said, “Please return my husband, at least for [the sake of] our 10-month-old daughter.” 

All the while the infant, in her uncle's arms next to her mother, stared at her father's photograph in a banner in the conference room.

Chania said although her husband was seen in CCTV footage coming out of the mosque, he never returned home. 

Shoukat, who worked as a legal adviser for several commercial banks, did not have any enemies other than dispute over land with his relatives, and was not involved in politics, she said.

His relatives might also be responsible for his disappearance, as they “exercised influence to get him terminated” from private banks nearly a year and a half ago, she alleged.

“A general diary was filed in October last year as they had threatened my husband with death,” Chania added.

Contacted, Sub-inspector Arif Hossain of Pallabi police said they were trying to trace advocate Shoukat.