Businessman reportedly abducted, tortured for refusing to pay extortion in Gazipur

A youth was abducted from a market and subjected to medieval-style torture overnight in Gazipur's Sreepur, with allegations raised against a leader of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal and his associates. The victim's family alleged that at least 100 burn marks from a hot iron rod were inflicted on his body after they refused to pay the demanded extortion. The seriously injured youth is currently hospitalised under police custody.

According to the allegations, the torture did not stop there. After being tortured all night, with his limbs and waist broken, he was handed over to police as an Awami League leader and an accused in a murder case. The youth was presented before a court in a critical condition, but the judge refused to accept him due to the severity of his injuries.

The victim, Sajib Mia (30), is the son of Md Kafil Uddin from Tepirbari Deochala village in Telihati Union of the upazila.

The accused, Md Sharif Sarkar (43), is the son of late Abul Hossain Sarkar from Maona village in Maona Union of the upazila. He is a member of the district Sramik Dal convening committee.

Sajib Mia's father, Kafil Uddin, said that on the night of July 21, around 10:30pm, the local Sramik Dal leader and his men went to his son's business establishment at the MC Bazar and demanded Tk 10 lakh as extortion. When his son refused, they started beating him indiscriminately with iron rods and sticks. They then forced him into the Sramik Dal leader's private car and took him to a torture cell under his house adjacent to Swapnapuri Hotel. There, he was subjected to torture throughout the night.

Kafil Uddin said that when he went out to search for his son around 12am, locals informed him that the Sramik Dal leader and his men had taken him away. After searching several places, including the torturer's office, he finally saw his son being tortured at the back of Swapnapuri Hotel. When his nephew Anish tried to intervene, he was also beaten and injured.

Kafil Uddin further alleged that they did not release his son but continued torturing him all night. In the morning, they informed the police and handed him over, identifying him as an Awami League leader and an accused in a murder case. However, Sajib is not involved in any politics; he works at a business establishment owned by an Awami League leader. Sajib was taken to Sreepur Upazila Health Complex under police guard, where doctors referred him to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital due to his critical condition. He is currently undergoing treatment there.

When contacted, Sramik Dal leader Sharif Sarkar said, "Sajib is an accused in an anti-discrimination murder case. BNP activists arrested him and handed him over to police. I cannot say anything about the beating—we did not beat him, I don't know what police did."

Sreepur Police Station SI Arup Kumar said that while on night duty, he received information from the station and rescued a critically injured person from the MC Bazar area, taking him to the hospital. Regarding the subsequent course of action, SI Mazahadul Islam of the station would be able to provide details.

Sreepur Police Station SI Mazahadul Islam said that Sajib was produced before the court on Thursday after being arrested in a murder case. However, the judge, citing his illness, did not accept him and sent him to hospital for treatment under police custody. He is currently undergoing treatment.