Youth beaten, forced to pay Tk 20,000 over load-shedding post

A young man was abducted and beaten by activists of the Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal in Araihazar of Narayanganj, after he shared a Facebook post about load-shedding.

The incident reportedly took place around noon inside a club near Araihazar police station on Sunday (August 30).

The victim, Arafat Hossain, 22, a second-year student at Government Safar Ali College, is the son of Benu Fakir of Koraitola in Bishnandi union.

His family claimed that Tk 20,000 was paid in two instalments as ransom for his release.

The victim's uncle Daiyan Fakir alleged that several men intercepted Arafat after he left a gym near the police station and took him to the nearby Nazrul Islam Azad Janakalyan Parishad club. There, they allegedly beat him under the leadership of Ataur Rahman Sani, a former senior joint convener of Araihazar municipal Chhatra Dal.

Daiyan further alleged that the men accused Arafat of being a Bangladesh Chhatra League supporter over his Facebook post on load-shedding and forced him to record a video identifying himself as a supporter of a former lawmaker.

The family also alleged that Tk 20,000 was taken from them in two instalments through bKash. Arafat was released around 3:30pm after the payment, they claimed. He was later taken to Araihazar Upazila Health Complex for treatment.

Sobjel Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Araihazar Police Station, said, "Police visited the club after receiving information about the incident and found that a young man had allegedly been held and beaten there."

"However, the alleged extortion of Tk 20,000 could not yet be confirmed," he said.

The OC said Arafat’s family had been asked to file a written complaint, after which the police would investigate and take legal action.

Daiyan also alleged that people linked to Sani had threatened the family after they informed police. Attempts to contact Sani for comment were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off.

Former Araihazar upazila Chhatra Dal member secretary Mobarak Hossain said he had heard about the alleged assault but was not in Araihazar when it occurred. He said anyone involved in criminal activities should face legal action regardless of political affiliation and that organisational action would also be considered if the allegations were proved.

Mobarak, however, alleged that Arafat had previously shared Facebook posts and videos criticising the BNP government and the prime minister over power disruptions and other issues.

Police said they would investigate the incident in detail and take action against those found responsible after receiving a formal complaint.