One arrested from Faridpur over abduction, torture of Bangladeshi in Libya

Police arrested an individual from Faridpur on Friday (29 March) in a case filed over the kidnapping and torture of a Bangladeshi in Libya.

The arrestee, Md Shakil, 28, is accused of helping in the kidnapping and torturing of a youth named Shakil Mia, 22, of Saltha upazila in Faridpur, with the promise of sending him to Italy via Libya, said Saltha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Faizur Rahman.

Shakil Mia was kidnapped and tortured in Libya with the help of Md Shakil's cohorts, said the officer.

The accused was arrested at around 10am from the Nokulhati Bazar area of Saltha in a case filed under The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act by the family of the victim with the police station.  

"The kidnapped youth's father filed a case against four people with Saltha Police Station on Thursday afternoon regarding the torture of the young man in Libya. Immediately after this, on Friday morning, the police conducted a raid and arrested Md Shakil, accused number three of the case," said OC Faizur.

He added that the police operation is continuing to arrest the rest of the accused.

According to the case statement, Shakil is a member of a human trafficking ring active in the region. 

Libya is one of the most dangerous destinations for Bangladeshis looking to go to Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

According to the International Organization for Migration, a total of 1,655,535 people attempted to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea between January 2016 and June 2023.

Every year, a significant number of Bangladeshis fall victim to human trafficking on the route. 

On Thursday, local media reported that four youths hailing from Chattogram's Anwara upazila have been abducted in Libya. 

The abductors demanded a ransom of Tk10 lakh per person and sent videos to the families where the abductees were seen being tortured.

The victims are Wasim, 22, Borhan Uddin, 19, Jabedur Rahim, 19, and Naeem Uddin, 20।