11 abducted passengers rescued on Meghna River

Police have rescued 11 abducted passengers – including women and children – on the Meghna River near the Moju Chowdhury Hat in Laxmipur on Friday. 

All the abductees are members of the same family and residents of Char Kachia and Dhania areas of Bhola Sadar upazila. A written complaint has been filed against the seven alleged abductors at the river police outpost.

Earlier, on Thursday night, the passengers were abducted by seven miscreants, at Moju Chowdhury ghat in Laxmipur. They were held captive on a trawler that had been headed to Bhola and the captors demanded they pay ransom of Tk20,000 to be set free. After receiving the news, the local river police rescued them.

According to police and the abductees, Ruhul Amin, a resident of Bhola, lives with his family in Dhaka. On the news of his father's death, they came to Moju Chowdhury Hat, from Dhaka, to Bhola via Laxmipur. Unable to find a boat at the wharf, they contacted the Bhola wharf and hired a trawler from there. 

Later, on their way to Bhola with the trawler, they were abducted and beaten by local miscreants in the middle of the river. Then, they were forced to pay Tk 20,000 as ransom for bringing the trawler by phone from Bhola. The victims paid a ransom of Tk 10,000 through bKash.

Failing to pay the remaining Tk 10,000, the abductors threw Ruhul Amin's small child, Lamia, into the river – with the intention of killing her.

Upon receiving the news, the river police went to the spot and rescued the victims. The abducted Ruhul Amin, in collaboration with the locals, identified four of the alleged abductors and filed a written complaint against a total of seven people.

Achin Kumar Dey, in-charge of Moju Chowdhury Hat River Police, said the abductees were rescued after receiving the information. The alleged kidnappers have not been not be apprehended but the victims' complaints have been accepted. Three of the six alleged abductors have been identified. Legal action will be taken against them.