Eleven days after his abduction, Syed Iftekhar Alam Sourav, nephew of former state minister Sohel Taj, has been rescued from Mymensingh and returned to his family under police protection.
Sourav, who was picked up reportedly by some plainclothes men in Chittagong on June 9, was rescued from Batala Bazar area in Tarakanda upazila around 5:30am on Thursday.
The private university student, who lives in Panchlaish area in Chittagong, was abducted from in front of a shopping mall in the port city. His father Md Idris Alam filed a general diary in this regard the next day.
During a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Monday, his parents alleged that Sourav went missing when he went to respond to an employment call.
They also told the media briefing that Sourav had been abducted once before, on May 16, from his temporary residence in Banani, Dhaka, by a group of men in plain clothes. He was abducted due to his relationship with the daughter of a Dhaka-based businessman, his family claimed at the press conference.
However, he was returned to his residence the following day.
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The same people might be linked to Sourav’s second abduction, which took place less than a month after the first one, they said.
Sourav’s mother Syeda Yasmin Arjuman said: “Sourav had received a phone call on June 8. He was told to have all the documents necessary for a job ready. The following day, he was asked to go in front of Mimi Super Market in Chittagong, at 3pm.”
Following the instruction, Sourav left home with the necessary documents around 7pm on June 9, but did not return, and his phone was later found switched off, she told the press.
“Sourav has received several threats in the past for his relationship with the girl,” Arjuman further said.
Sourav’s father Idris said: “My son was even forced by them [the abductors] to give an undertaking that he would break up with his girlfriend.
“I suspect the girl’s family had Sourav abducted either by law enforcement officials or some other people,” Idris said.
On his Facebook page, Sohel Taj, too, was sceptic of law enforcement officials picking up his nephew.
On June 15, he wrote a post on his page where he requested the abductors to return his nephew to his family.
“Otherwise, I will reveal your identity in front of the public. I know who are behind the abduction,” he added.
The rescue
Mizanur Rahman, OC of Tarakanda police station, said the criminals left Sourav, 25, in front of Jamil Auto Rice Mill, with his hands and legs tied. Blindfolded, Sourav only had his trousers on.
Upon receiving information, police went to the spot and rescued him, the OC added.
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“Sourav was initially in the custody of the district superintendent of police. We handed him over to his family after a routine interrogation and completing some legal procedures,” he further said.
Confirming the matter at a press briefing at his office yesterday morning, Mymensingh Superintendent of Police (SP) Shah Abid Hossain said: “Sourav was abducted by unidentified miscreants. Police are still looking into this issue and trying to identify them.”
Sourav was not present at the press briefing.
The SP said: “The miscreants left Sourav in front of Jamil Auto Rice Mill around 5:30am. One of the employees of the Rice Mill, named Soumik, informed Sourav’s family about his location.
"Sourav’s family notified the DMP Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit. Later, Tarakanda police officials – in association with the district officials – rescued him and brought him to the police station.”
Asked about who the abductors are, he said they could not say until the investigation was over.
Both the OC and the SP mentioned that Sourav was doing well after his release, but none of them could clarify where Sourav was kept for the 11 days.
Sohel Taj, during a Facebook live video around 11am yesterday, said: “Sourav was found with his limbs tied, wearing only trousers. His eyes were also covered. The superintendent of Mymensingh police let him take a bath and gave him some food after taking him to his house. Sourav was disoriented and could not figure out where he was.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Sourav would be rescued soon.
