6 Cumilla youths in Libyan torture cell; Kidnappers demand Tk15cr ransom

Six young men from Monohorganj upazila in Cumilla have allegedly been abducted by a human trafficking network in Libya while attempting to reach Italy in search of better economic opportunities. The traffickers are demanding a total ransom of Tk15crore (approximately Tk25 lakh per victim) for their release. Family members say they have received videos showing the victims being brutally tortured in an attempt to force payment.

The victims have been identified as Shahadat Hossain, 20, Manikul Islam, 20, Md. Sohel, 27, Taj Mohammad, 25, Faisal, 20,—all from Dishaband village under Khila Union—and Mehedi Hasan, 21, from Betiyapara village under Lakshmanpur Union.

According to relatives, local brokers collected between Tk18 lakh and Tk20 lakh from each family after promising to arrange illegal passage to Italy. The young men were reportedly taken to Libya several months ago, where they were initially held by one trafficking group before being transferred to another organized criminal network.
Families claim the victims have been confined in a secret location for the past 15 to 20 days, with the traffickers demanding Tk25 lakh per person for their release. To pressure the families into paying, the kidnappers have allegedly been sending graphic videos of the victims being tortured via IMO and WhatsApp.

Mahbubur Rahman, father of victim Manikul Islam, said he paid Tk20 lakh through a local broker after being promised that his son would be sent to Italy. Instead, he alleges, his son was handed over to traffickers in Libya and is now being subjected to severe abuse while the kidnappers demand ransom.

A similar account was shared by Shah Alam, father of Mehedi Hasan, who said he paid Tk18 lakh for his son's journey to Italy but now fears for his life after seeing videos of his torture in Libya.

Following the circulation of the torture videos, relatives allege that the accused local broker and members of his family have gone into hiding. They also claim that they have lost contact with the principal trafficker believed to be operating from Libya.

The victims' families have submitted a written appeal to Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging the government to take immediate diplomatic and legal measures to secure the safe return of the six young men.

Meanwhile, Monohorganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Maksud Ahmed said no formal complaint has yet been filed with the police. He added that authorities would investigate the matter and take appropriate legal action if a complaint is received.