Search Continues for Missing Sylhet Airport Security Officer Amid Discrepancies in Case Timeline
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Nearly one month after Arifullah Jelin, a 26-year-old assistant security officer at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, vanished without a trace, his family and law enforcement remain without answers. The disappearance has prompted a formal investigation, though authorities have yet to pinpoint his current location.
Jelin, a graduate of the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) and a native of Thakurgaon district, joined the airport security team in late April. He was reported missing on July 8 from his assigned residence in the airport’s G-type quarters. His colleague, Dhananjay Kundu, subsequently filed a general diary (GD) with the Sylhet Airport Police Station.
The investigation has been complicated by growing suspicions from Jelin’s family regarding the timeline provided in the police report. During a recent press conference, his mother, Farida Yasmin, challenged the accuracy of the incident window, which was officially recorded as between 3:45 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the day he disappeared. Yasmin maintains that she was in contact with her son via a video call until 5:30 p.m. that day, at which time he appeared to be at his quarters. She argues that this discrepancy suggests critical information regarding his disappearance may be deliberately concealed.
The family has also disclosed that Jelin had expressed professional distress shortly after beginning his tenure, informing them that he no longer wished to continue in his role. During the Eid-ul-Adha holiday, Jelin reportedly told his mother, “I am not sure if I will return after going back to Sylhet this time,” a statement the family now views with deep alarm.
Airport Director Hafiz Ahmad stated that management promptly alerted law enforcement and relevant intelligence agencies as soon as Jelin was found to be missing. Police Inspector (Investigation) Abdus Salam confirmed that investigators are following leads, though the search has been hampered by the loss of Jelin’s mobile phone. The device was later recovered by locals in the Salutikar area and handed over to the police, but its lack of active data has made tracking his movements significantly more difficult.
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