Hundreds of Bangladeshis are currently held hostage by kidnapping rings in Libya. A group of expatriates are involved in this heinous scheme of betraying their fellow citizens. The kidnappers are extorting millions from the families of the hostages. The ransom does not ensure the release of the hostages as the kidnappers persist in demanding more and more money. As the ransom demands keep increasing, the hostages are tormented and tortured in dreadful conditions.
Their families spend their days worrying over their return, which seems more and more unlikely with every day that passes.
According to Bangladeshi police, roughly 100-120 citizens remain kidnapped all over Libya. The police suspect a 20-25 strong crime syndicate comprised of Bangladeshis is behind the kidnappings. The ringleader is one Bakir Mia. Police have also named Jakir Hossain, Kabir Hossain, and Humayun Kabir as his associates.
The syndicate tempts people to go to Europe via Libya. Upon reaching Libya, they rob their targets of their possessions and hold them hostage. The hostages are tortured and photo or video of their treatment is sent to the families. The kidnapping evidence is used to encourage the families to pay the ransom as per the kidnappers’ directions.
The hostage families pay via bKash, a mobile financial microtransaction service. The ransom money is withdrawn from bKash agents by the kidnappers’ wives in Bangladesh. The kidnappers’ wives then distribute the ransom money among the other kidnappers via bKash again.
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On July 21 of this year, Ayub Ali, 25 and Md Rubel, 28, both residents of Naogaon, were abducted in Libya. Their families filed complaints with the Police Branch of Investigation promptly. The police investigation led to the arrest of six people over a raid that spanned Narsingdi and Kishoreganj from September 7-9. Among the detained are a bKash agent and two women who are married to the kidnappers.
PBI Dhaka Special Superintendent of Police Md Abul Kalam Azad said:”Between 100-120 people have been abducted. The kidnappers have extorted an average of Tk5lakh from each hostage. So they have made at least Tk5 crore. We know the kidnappers are all Bangladeshi because we have not found any Libyans affiliated with it.”
SP Azad singled out Bakir Mia as the mastermind behind this scheme. He said this scheme has been running for the past four years. He also said the police have plenty of evidence of their activities in Bangladesh, including the names and addresses of their accomplices.
SP Azad said the police have asked the Bangladesh High Commission to Libya to inform the Libyan police to assist with their investigations and rescue the kidnapped Bangladeshis and arrest the known members of the kidnapping syndicate.
Of repeated ransoms
The families of two of the victims paid the ransom as the kidnappers wanted. Their testimony at the PBI office revealed that even after paying, they were not released. Instead the kidnappers asked for more money.
Ayub Ali went to Libya in 2012 to work at a gas station. He was supporting his family for over four years, until he was abducted in July of this year. On July 21, he called from his phone, saying he was abducted and robbed of his possessions including his passport.
The kidnappers sent a video of Ayub being tortured and sent it to his family. Ayub’s father sent Tk3.15 lakh to various bKash numbers. Instead of releasing Ayub, the kidnappers demanded more money.
As Taslim Pramanik, Ayub’s father, narrated his ordeal to the PBI investigators and this reporter, the kidnappers called.
Ayub was on the other side of the line, screaming: “Please save me! They will kill me if you do not pay them!”
The 52-year-old father passed out at hearing his son scream for his life.
The same thing happened to Md Rubel who went to Libya to work as a handyman. His older brother Md Rabbani also received the dreaded phone call on July 21. The ransom demand of Tk10 lakh was accompanied by a video of Rubel being tortured.
The kidnappers settled for Tk5 lakh, to be paid via bKash. Rabbani paid out Tk2.55 lakh, which prompted a fresh demand of Tk5 lakh from the kidnappers.
The families of Ayub and Rubel are only two among numerous others whose loved ones are jeopardised in their pursuit of a better life. They pleaded the police and the government to take definite actions to bring back the hostages.
This story was first published in Bangla Tribune
