Multiple abduction rackets are reportedly active in Savar, allegedly targeting children, students and unsuspecting people before demanding ransom from their families.
Several families who paid money to secure the release of their relatives have shared accounts of intimidation, threats and extortion by the gangs.
According to complaints, 10th-grade student Mahadir Al Mubin, son of businessman Mukul Ali, was abducted on Friday while he was on his way to a coaching centre from his home in Dogar Mor area of Savar municipality.
Mubin, a student of BPATC School and College, was allegedly stopped by a group of five to six youths in front of RS Tower near the Savar VAT office. The youths told him they had identified him from a video and accused him of assaulting their associates.
Saying they would show him the video, the group allegedly forced him into a waiting autorickshaw and took him to Rajaghat area under Tetuljhora Union, about 8-10 kilometres away, near the Dhaleshwari River.
After reaching the spot, the kidnappers allegedly used Mubin’s mobile phone to call his father and demanded Tk50,000, claiming his son had damaged their vehicle. They threatened that “anything could happen” if the money was not paid quickly.
Mukul Ali said he sent Tk10,000 to a bKash number provided by the kidnappers after requesting them not to harm his son and sought time to arrange the remaining amount.
He later filed a written complaint with Savar Model Police Station. After the gang apparently sensed the matter had reached law enforcement, they released Mubin in the evening.
In another incident last Wednesday, an autorickshaw driver named Kabirul was allegedly taken to Harindhara area of Tetuljhora Union after four to five youths hired his vehicle.
The gang allegedly accused him of stealing an autorickshaw and demanded money from his family through threats. They took Tk5,000 through bKash before releasing him.
Kabirul’s brother Monirul Islam alleged that the kidnappers beat his brother severely to force the family to pay the money.
In another case, garment official Arifur Rahman, a resident of Bank Colony’s B Block, was allegedly abducted by four criminals travelling in a private car.
Arif was waiting near Pakiza area to board a bus to Dhaka last Monday when a private car stopped in front of him. The driver and another passenger allegedly offered him a ride to Motijheel for Tk200.
After he got into the vehicle, two more men joined and sat beside him. Arif said the driver took the car towards Tolarbag in Mirpur at high speed.
He alleged that the criminals threatened him with firearms and ordered him not to move. At Tolarbag, they took him to an abandoned house, where they seized Tk45,000 from him and took around Tk2 lakh more from his relatives through bKash.
The gang later left him blindfolded at an isolated spot on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Baliarpur, Savar, around 11pm.
Among the incidents, only Mubin’s father filed a written complaint with Savar Model Police Station. He alleged that the investigating officer did not properly investigate the matter and later took a written statement on plain paper claiming that the complaint had been withdrawn.
Regarding the withdrawal of the complaint, Dhaka District and Sessions Judge Court Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Nazim Uddin said police could have investigated the matter and taken legal action as the complaint was related to a criminal offence.
“Such incidents may encourage criminal groups further,” he said.
Savar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam said he was not aware of the specific incidents but assured that such crimes would be taken seriously and the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
