Bangladeshi youth tortured in Libya, ransom demanded

A Bangladeshi youth named Romel was subjected to brutal torture in Libya, with a video of the abuse sent to his family by a trafficking gang demanding a ransom of Tk 12 lakh. In an effort to catch the traffickers, Romel‍‍`s family sent Tk 1.5 lakh, which led to the arrest of two gang members by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). Later, the mastermind of the trafficking ring, Sohel, was arrested in Bangladesh.

During a press briefing at the PBI headquarters on Tuesday, June 4, Narsingdi District Police Superintendent Md. Enayet Hossain Mannan shared these details.

Enayet Hossain Mannan explained, "Romel Mia agreed to go to Libya for Tk 4 lakh in the hope of securing a job in a carpet factory. Initially, he paid Tk 2 lakh and traveled to Dubai on a tourist visa. Later, he paid another Tk 2 lakh to travel from Dubai to Libya via Egypt. However, upon arrival in Libya, he was taken to a remote area and tortured by the trafficking gang. They subjected him to various forms of abuse and showed these to his family via video calls, demanding Tk 12 lakh for his release."

The Superintendent added, "Seeing the dire situation of his son, Romel‍‍`s father, Ashad Mia, filed a case with PBI Narsingdi. Following the family‍‍`s report, PBI Narsingdi‍‍`s investigation revealed that Romel, along with several other Bangladeshis, was held captive and regularly tortured for ransom. To apprehend the culprits, Tk 1.5 lakh was sent through Romel‍‍`s family. This led to a series of operations by three PBI teams in Dohar, Nawabganj, Bhairab in Kishoreganj, and Raipura in Narsingdi, resulting in the arrest of two suspects. Subsequently, the trafficking ring‍‍`s mastermind, Sohel, was arrested from immigration. Through Sohel, Romel was rescued from Libya."

This incident highlights the severe risks faced by many Bangladeshi migrants who fall prey to trafficking gangs promising overseas employment.