'Picked up' 16 months ago: Rahmat returns after being pushed back from India

Highlights:

• Rahmat was picked up from home on 29 Aug 2023
• In Oct 2024, Rahmat sent a voice message to his brother
• His family couldn't reach him after getting the message
• He was sentenced to 7 months in jail, fined ₹1,000 in India

Md Rahmat Ullah, 21, who was allegedly picked up by individuals claiming to be members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Dhamrai in Savar, Dhaka, 16 months ago, has finally returned home.

The Chapainawabganj police handed him over to his family after he was pushed back from India through the border.

On the night of 29 August 2023, Rahmat was taken from his home in Barnalai village, Gangutia union, "for questioning" by people claiming to be from RAB officials.

There had been no clue about his whereabouts until October 2024, when he secretly sent a voice message to his elder brother Md Obaidullah from Dumdum Jail in India.

Obaidullah told The Business Standard, "In October 2024, while I was abroad, I received a voice message on my imo number. As soon as I heard the voice, I knew it was Rahmat. We communicated, and he told me where he was. I returned to Bangladesh that same month, but communication was cut off again. Despite trying many times, I couldn't reach him. I also tried to go to India, but I couldn't get a visa, so it wasn't possible."

Although overjoyed at Rahmat's return, the family is still concerned about his safety. After his return, Officer-in-Charge of Dhamrai Police Station Md Monirul Islam contacted the family, offering his full support.

Rahmat's mother Momtaz Begum told TBS, "When they took Rahmat away, he was ill. Despite his condition, they took him away on the pretext of needing to question him. I searched for him at the RAB office, the DB office, and other places but couldn't find any news of him. He had been missing ever since. Now, I have my son back, and I am at peace. Allah has brought my son back to me."

How Rahmat returned home

According to Rahmat's family, on Saturday, Obaidullah received a phone call from an unknown number.

The caller, identifying himself as Md Fazle Bari, a sub-inspector at the Rohanpur police investigation centre in Gomostapur, Chapainawabganj, informed him that Rahmat was in the custody of the police.

Rahmat's family then travelled to Chapainawabganj to be reunited with him.

Rahmat's condition now

Although Rahmat has returned after such a long time, his family says he is not speaking much. His behaviour is erratic at times, and he has not shared details of what happened to him during his absence.

The family is concerned about his mental and emotional state and plans to take him to a doctor in the coming days.

What police, RAB say

According to police, on 21 December, after members of the Border Security Force (BSF) pushed Rahmat Ullah back from India to Bangladesh through the border in Chapainawabganj, he walked to the Gomostapur police station. The station is approximately 14-15 kilometres from the border.

Quoting Rahmat, Fazle Bari, in-charge of the Rahonpur Police Investigation Centre in Gomostapur, said Rahmat had been in the custody of Bangladesh's law enforcers in Dhaka for nine months after being picked up in August last year.

During his detention, Rahmat was kept blindfolded, with his eyes unbound only during meals. After each meal, his eyes were bound again. He could hear the sound of planes taking off and landing from the location where he was held.

"After nine months, Rahmat was transported in a HiAce (microbus) to the Benapole border in Jashore, where he was pushed into India. Once in India, he spent two to three days wandering around before being arrested by Indian police for illegal immigration. Rahmat was sentenced to six months in prison and fined ₹1,000. If the fine was unpaid, he would serve an additional two months in jail. After serving seven months, he was transported from Dumdum Jail to the border, where he was pushed back into Bangladesh at midnight on Friday."

Fazle Bari added, "Rahmat told us that those who served their sentence in jails near the Bangladesh-India border were taken from Dumdum Jail to the border and handed over to the BSF. The BSF then pushes them into Bangladesh at a convenient time. Rahmat also mentioned that the BSF pushed him back to Bangladesh in a boat at night."

"I asked him why he had been detained. He replied, 'They (RAB) said I was a terrorist.' I then searched the Crime Database Management System, but found no cases against him."

Maj Jalis Mahmud Khan, company commander of RAB-4 (CPC-2) Savar camp, told TBS, "I'm not aware of this matter. I don't know what happened, where, or who was involved. I only joined here three months ago, so I have no knowledge of this issue."

When asked if an investigation would be initiated, he said, "It depends on the higher authorities at headquarters. I really cannot comment on this matter."