Tension prevails at the Mogholhat border in Lalmonirhat following Wednesday’s abduction of a Bangladeshi businessman by an alleged Indian drug smuggling ring.
Three flag meetings between officials of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) of India were held in the last three days over the issue. Officials say they are yet to make any headway in this regard.
Sources said, a Bangladeshi businessman, identified as Sudhir Chandra, 42, son of late Sudan Chandra of Chaparhat village at Kaliganj upazila of the district, was abducted on Wednesday.
He was allegedly abducted by an Indian syndicate of drug smugglers known by the name of its ringleader Babu Islam, with the help of a Bangladeshi syndicate known by its leader Jahangir Alam.
Sudhir was headed for the Indian border, when he stopped at the Mogholhat border point on Wednesday morning. He had a total of Tk600,000 in cash with him.
Around noon, he along with his “border transporter” Keshob Chandra, whom he had entrusted the money to for safekeeping, crossed the border.
But Sudhir was attacked and kidnapped when he entered India, near the Doribas village under Dinhata police station in West Bengal. Keshob, however, managed to flee back with the money.
BGB suspects Keshob, who is a dual citizen of both Bangladesh and India, might have set up “the abduction drama” to misappropriate the money kept in his custody.
Quoting BSF officials, a BGB source said the Indian drug ringleader Babu Islam and his gang members went into hiding after the Wednesday incident.
Keshob Chandra and the local drug ringleader Jahangir Alam also went missing since the incident, BGB said.
The kidnappers have already demanded a ransom of Tk200,000 from the victim’s family in exchange of his freedom.
The Commander of Mogholhat BGB camp of Lalmonirhat, Subedar Shah Alam, confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune and said they are trying their best to rescue the kidnapped businessman.
Necessary instructions are given to the officials about arresting Keshob and Jahangir in “any way possible,” he added.
