Two separate cases have been filed against nine alleged human traffickers in Sunamganj over the deaths of migrants in a boat capsize in the Mediterranean Sea.
Of them, four were accused in a case filed at Dirai Police Station and five in another filed with Jagannathpur Police Station.
On Tuesday, Sunamganj Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Sarkar confirmed the matter, saying most of the accused were in countries such as Italy and Libya, making it difficult to trace them. However, efforts were underway to locate them, alongside awareness campaigns through community policing.
In Jagannathpur, Habibur Rahman, father of victim Aminur Rahman from Pailgaon village, filed one case, while in Dirai, Salikur Rahman filed another over the death of his son Sohannur Rahman from Basuri village.
The accused in the Jagannathpur case include Dulal Mia of Goyaspur village in Chhatak, Azizul Islam of Ichhgaon village, and others identified as Bilal Mia (the main accused), Jasim Mia, and Enam Mia. The names of the accused in the Dirai case were not immediately known.
Family members said human trafficking syndicates took victims to Libya with promises of sending them to Italy for Tk12,00,000–15,00,000. In Libya, the migrants were held in so-called “game houses” for a long period before being put on a rubber boat on March 21 along with 48 migrants.
Due to prolonged starvation and illness at sea, 22 people died. Among them, 12 were from Sunamganj district—six from Dirai, five from Jagannathpur, and one from Dowarabazar.
According to the Jagannathpur case statement, Aminur Rahman had been working as a sales representative for Meghna Group. Through work, he became acquainted with a trafficking network led by Bilal Mia. He was promised migration to Greece in exchange for Tk11,00,000. Despite his father’s refusal, Aminur went to Libya in January using his own savings and paid the agreed amount.
The case statement said a group of 45 people, including 38 Bangladeshis, set off for Greece by sea through illegal means on March 21. After 5–6 days at sea without sufficient food and clean water, at least 18 Bangladeshis—including five from Jagannathpur—died, and their bodies were thrown into the sea.
Plaintiff Habibur Rahman said he learned on Saturday that his son had died along with others due to a lack of food and water. He filed the case seeking legal action against the traffickers. Witnesses in the case said traffickers had taken Tk12,00,000–13,00,000 from each victim.
Jagannathpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam said police have begun working on the case.
In Dirai, plaintiff Salikur Rahman said he had initially deposited Tk1,00,000 with a travel agency to send his only son to Serbia through legal means. However, his son was later lured by Italy-based trafficker Saleh Ahmed and became determined to go to Europe.
He said he last spoke to his son on March 22, when he reassured him not to worry despite hardship. A few days later, he received news of his son’s death. Attempts to contact the trafficker afterward were unsuccessful.