Libyan Trafficking Ring Demands Massive Ransom for Six Kidnapped Bangladeshi Migrants
Six young men from Cumilla’s Manoharganj upazila have been held hostage by a human trafficking syndicate in Libya for the past eight months, where they are being subjected to brutal physical abuse. The traffickers are demanding 27 lakh taka in ransom for each individual, threatening to kill them if the payments are not met. The harrowing ordeal began when the men—Shahadat Hossain, Manikul Islam, Md. Sohel, Taj Mohammad, Faysal, and Mehedi Hasan—embarked on a journey to Italy via Libya, facilitated by local traffickers who had promised them stable employment abroad.
According to reports from local residents and family members, the victims were initially coerced into paying between 18 and 20 lakh taka each to the traffickers with the expectation of a safe passage to Europe. Instead of reaching Italy, the men were detained and subsequently handed over to a Libyan mafia group roughly three weeks ago. Since then, the traffickers have utilized messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Imo to send graphic videos of the ongoing torture to the victims' families as a means of extorting the ransom money.
Harunur Rashid, a local Union Parishad member whose relatives are among those captive, stated that the families have already exhausted their savings, sold land, and taken on significant debt to fund the initial travel costs. He noted that the victims' families submitted a formal complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about a week ago, yet they have received no assurance of state intervention. The mafia has explicitly warned that failure to pay the ransom will result in the execution of the hostages and the disposal of their bodies at sea.
Investigations point toward a local resident named Manik, who resides in Libya, and his brother, Samsul Alam, as the primary architects of the scheme. Families allege that the traffickers exploited personal trust to lure the young men into the trap. Following the circulation of the disturbing footage within the community, the suspects, including Samsul Alam, have fled the area, and their communication lines have been disconnected.
While the families remain in a state of desperation, local law enforcement has stated they are aware of the situation through public reports. However, Maksud Ahmed, the officer-in-charge of Manoharganj Police Station, noted that no formal written complaint has been filed with the police department. He indicated that authorities are prepared to launch an investigation and take necessary legal action once an official complaint is registered.
