Horrific tale of kidnap

Gang led by Manikganj AL leader demands Tk 45 lakh in ransom; Rab rescues victims, detains 10

“They put us inside sacks in a dark room with our hands and legs tied, eyes blindfolded, mouth gagged and our bodies beaten up by bamboo sticks for three days.”

Transport businessman Jafor Iqbal, 40, revealed this horrific tale to The Daily Star yesterday after being rescued from the den of an 'abduction gang' allegedly run by Selim Molla, vice-president of ruling Awami League's Harirampur upazila unit in Manikganj.

Jafor and his friend Miraj Ali, 35, were picked up by some unidentified people from the capital's Tejgaon area on Friday. They were rescued by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on early Monday.

The duo gave a statement before a Dhaka court yesterday where they disclosed their abduction in details. Metropolitan Magistrate Fahad Bin Amin Chowdhury recorded their statement.

Talking to the newspaper, Jafor said he along with Miraj went to Farmgate early Friday morning on a business purpose and was talking in front of Govt Science College. At one stage, a microbus stopped in front of them and someone from inside asked them about the way to Dhanmondi, he added.

As they were showing the way to Dhanmondi, two to three people forced them into the vehicle and two to three hours later they found themselves inside a room where seven other people were standing with machetes, bamboo sticks, knives and sacks, said Jafor with tears in his eyes.

“After some time, six to seven men started beating us up violently. They were shouting for money and only stopped at our positive responses to meet their demand,” Jafor said.

“We were kept three days in that room and were provided with food only twice,” he said, adding, “It still feels like a horror film for me when I recall the abductors saying they would slaughter us and dump our bodies in the Padma river.”

Jafor's nephew Hafizur Rahman said they first received a phone call from the alleged abductors around 4:30pm on Friday. The unknown caller said they would kill Jafor and his friend if Tk 45 lakh was not sent to them immediately.

“We realised that my uncle and his friend were abducted. We collected Tk 4.85 lakh from friends and relatives in next two days and sent the amount to the abductors. But they considered the amount insufficient and declined to release them. At this stage, we informed Rab-2 on Sunday,” said Hafizur.

The Rab said they had started an investigation into the incident and traced the abductors when one of them went to the bank to withdraw the money deposited by Jafor's family. The Rab later conducted a drive at Kalia village of Harirampur upazila and rescued the victims.

The elite force also arrested Selim, 50, his son Rajibul Hasan Rajib, 27, and their associates Mosharaf Hossain, 47, Nirab Ahmed, 29, Abdur Razzak, 35, Tareq Hossain, 31, Abul Bashar, 33, Ruhul Amin, 35, Tareq Hossain, 26, and Tuhin Biswas, 30.

It was learned that Selim's son Rajib is the secretary of Harirampur upazila unit Bangladesh Chhatra League, pro-AL student body, Mosharaf is the religious affairs secretary of the upazila unit AL, and Tareq is a Jubo League activist.

The Rab recovered six foreign pistols, nine magazines, 36 rounds of bullets, seven pieces of Chinese axe, four machetes and Tk 2.85 lakh from the arrestees' possession.

The crime-busters in a press statement issued on Monday said Selim used to run the abduction business for a long time. He used to lure the youth of the area to join the racket and target noted businessmen of the capital to collect ransom from them, the statement read.

Two separate cases were filed against the 10 arrestees with Tejgaon police in Dhaka for the abduction and with Harirampur police under the Arms Act.

In the arms case, the 10 were placed on three-day remand, said Lutfar Rahman, officer-in-charge of Harirampur police.

“We have not yet got any information about their criminal activities on the second day of their remand,” he added.

Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police, said they would start an interrogation after Harirampur police completed their part.

Lt Col Md Anwaruz Zaman, commanding officer of Rab-2, said they would submit an application to take charge of the investigation as some of Selim's associates are on the run.

During a visit to Kalia village, The Daily Star correspondent found Selim lives in a three-storey duplex building, in front of which there is another two-storey building.

Selim's sister Tahmina Begum said they had no idea why the law enforcers had arrested him.

According to locals, Selim used to work as a fourth-class employee at the housing and public works ministry. He reportedly collected money illegally and built two buildings in his village.

Selim joined AL four to five years ago and got the post of upazila vice-president.

•  Courtesy: The Daily Star Mar 15, 2018