Six missing youths still a mystery

Law enforcers are still at a loss over the whereabouts of the youths, whose disappearances came to light after guardians filed general diaries with police. “We are still investigating (and) are communicating with the families of the missing youths," Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner (media) Masudur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune. "At this point of the investigation, it is not the right time to confidently say whether or not they belong to any militant organisation. After gathering more information, we would be able to say why they went missing.” Safayet Hossain, 24, Zayen Hossain Khan Pavel, 23, Sobuj alias Sujon, 25, and Mehedi Hasan, 27 – all residents of Banani – went missing on December 1. They were last seen dining together at Northern Cafe in Banani's kitchen market area. Sayeed Anwar Khan, also a Banani resident, went missing on Monday afternoon, while Imran Farhat, a resident of Dhaka Cantonment area, disappeared on November 29. Family members of the youths said they do not know why their children went missing. Four relatives – Zayen's father Ismail Hossain Khan Rasel, Mehedi's uncle Mahbub Alam, Sujan's brother Sumon and Sayeed Anwar's uncle Akram Kabir – told the Dhaka Tribune that they do not think their loved ones have any links to any militant organisation. They just do not know why or how the youths disappeared. They just want their children back in good health. The guardians of Zayen and Mehedi filed GDs on December 4 with Banani police station mentioning that Safayet and Sujon were also missing. Meanwhile, Anwar’s guardian also filed a GD on Tuesday, while Imran’s family filed it recently. Safayet and Zayen are enrolled at North South University. Safayet had recently stopped his studies, but Zayen was in the final semester at NSU’s electrical and electronics department. Sujon serves at a renowned advertising agency. Mehedi came to Dhaka from Barisal to attend a job interview on November 26 and also went missing after meeting Sujan at the restaurant, said police sources. Imran’s family members said that he went out of his Matikata residence on November 29 to go to Care Medical College at Mohammadpur. Since then he is missing. Police said that after talking to Imran’s family members and local people, it was apparent his family is very orthodox regarding religious matters and that Imran maintained very strong religious rules. RAB said they were investigating into the matter.