A joint forces team including Bangladesh Army, police and members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday rescued four people including the drivers of two covered vans, who were abducted by the members of United People's Democratic Front's (UPDF) from the hilly areas of Khagrachhari district on Sunday night. The victims were identified as Anwar Hossain, Monir Mia—drivers of the two covered vans and their helpers—Hannan Mia and Zayed Khan. Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Ramgarh Police Station, said the UPDF men abducted the four people from ‘Jointfarm’ owned by one Belayet along with two covered vans at gunpoint from Ramgarh upazila around 9 pm. 14 fishermen rescued four days after being stranded on sea Later, a joint team of law enforcers conducted the drive in the area and rescued them. However, no one was arrested in this connection. DU student rescued 7 hours after abduction in Rangamati Earlier, on September 6, a student of Dhaka University, who was abducted by the criminals in the hilly area of Rangamati, was rescued by the Army personnel hours after the abduction.  

 Three workers who were abducted by unidentified miscreants from Langadupara area in Rajasthali upazila on Monday were rescued on Wednesday night, said police.The rescued workers were Sohagh, 20, Rupok, 18 and Biswajit, 22.A group of workers, numbering 14, have been constructing a wall along Rajhasthali-Bangalhalia road in Langapara. They live at the labour shed near the road. 2 BCL leaders arrested for abduction, robbery at Dhaka College On Monday, the workers except the three went out from the labour shed around 8 pm. At one stage, 5-6 miscreants swooped on the labour shed and abducted them at gunpoint.However, no written complaint was lodged from the contractor company. Ctg boy killed after abduction for ransom; 2 arrestedAfter hearing the news from local people, police conducted a drive in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday and rescued them on Wednesday night, said Zakir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Rajasthali Police Station.

Rahima Begum, who was found alive in Faridpur in September last year 29 days after disappearance, was not abducted but her daughter Mariam Mannan staged the ‘abducted drama’ in a bid to implicate their neighbour in a case over land dispute, said Police Bureau of investigation (PBI). Khulna Superintendent of Police Syed Mushfiqur Rahman revealed these information at a press briefing held at PBI office around 11:30 am on Monday (February 13, 2023). The PBI submitted the investigation report to the Metropolitan Judge in the morning. “We have not found any evidence of abduction rather evidences show that Mariam Mannan plotted the abduction drama in a bid to implicate their neighbor in a case over land dispute,” he said. Also read; Rahima’s statement on ‘disappearance’ misleading: PBI “As part of the plan, Rahima herself went into hiding and changed her locations frequently during this period. On October 27, last year, she went to Dhaka and after living there for some days, Mariam sent her to Bandarban with some clothes and medicines. Later, she went to the house of one Abdul Kuddus at Boalmari in Faridpur district where police traced her,” he added.

Four farmers have been allegedly abducted by miscreants from a hill in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar on Sunday. Those abducted are  Abdus Salam, Abdur Rahman, Muhib Ullah and Abdul Hakim of the Lechuaprang area of the Hnila union. Abdus Salam's younger brother, Munshi Rafiq, said that his brothers along with others were sleeping in a makeshift hut on their farmlands after driving away wild elephants from their cornfield on Saturday night. Read: Rohingya leader stabbed dead in Cox’s Bazar They were supposed to return in the morning but none of the four returned home till 10am. The miscreants kidnapped them at gunpoint, he claimed. Police have been informed over the abduction, said Rashedul Mahmud Ali, chairman of Hnila union parishad. Md Abdul Halim, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf police station said they are investigating the matter.

The body of a child who was abducted and murdered in Dinajpur’s Khansama upazila was recovered by police early Monday. The deceased has been identified as Arifuzzaman, 8, son of Atiur Rahman from Kayempur Daktarpara area of Khamarpara union under the upazila. Arif was a second-grade student at the local Chehelgazi Kindergarten School. Police have also detained Shariful Islam, a college student, in connection with the abduction and killing. Read: Law enforcers have made progress in Fardin murder probe: Rab According to locals, Arif went missing on Friday afternoon while playing in the field. Later, Shariful called the child’s father on that night and asked for a ransom of Tk 1 lakh. Instead of giving in to Shariful’s demand, Arif’s father lodged a General Diary with the local police station. “We detained Shariful, a Computer Trade student of Gowaldihi BM College, by tracking his mobile number. Based on information provided by him, we launched a drive on the premises of a house owned by one Abdus Salam beside a rice mill in Pakerhat and found Arif’s body inside a sack after some excavation,” said Chittaranjan Das, Officer In-charge (OC) of Khansama Police Station. Chittaranjan added that the body has been sent to the morgue of M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital for autopsy.  

A Khulna court on Tuesday granted bail to four of the six accused in a case over alleged abduction of Khulna’s Rahima Begum.  Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge Mahmuda Begum passed the order during a hearing on the bail pleas.  Read: Rahima’s statement on ‘disappearance’ misleading: PBI Those granted bail are Mohammad Mohiuddin, assistant engineer of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet), Golam Kibria, Md Jewel, and Rafiqul Islam Palash, said Public Prosecutor KM Iqbal Hossain.  The two other accused- Rahima’s second husband Belal Ghatak and Helal Sharif- are currently in jail, he said.  On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had left her home in the Banikpara area of Doulatpur at 10pm to bring water. Her daughters found her sandals, scarf and water pot. A newer pair of sandals though, had gone missing and that fuelled speculation that she had left home on her own.  Read: Families of arrestees claim Rahima’s daughter Moriom behind mysterious disappearance The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which the law enforcement lodged a first information report (FIR) against some people over Rahima's disappearance. On September 13, after Rahima remained missing for 17 days and police failed to find her, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to a Khulna court to transfer the case to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).  The same day, police arrested six people in connection with the case and of them four were accused by the plaintiff in the case statement, said police.  On September 24, Rahima Begum was found alive in Faridpur's Boalmari after remaining missing for 29 days. 

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has said that the disappearance of Rahima Begum, who was found alive in Faridpur, was not an incident of “abduction”. “We did not find any evidence of abduction from her house in Khulna’s Daulatpur,” SP Syed Mushfiqur Rahman of PBI Khulna said today. “We are still investigating the case and action will be taken if Rahima Begum had made false accusations about her disappearance,” the PBI official said. Read: I was abducted over land dispute: Rahima Begum Meanwhile, family members of those arrested in the case have claimed that Rahima Begum’s daughter Moriom Mannan is the “mastermind” behind the mysterious disappearance. They said that if Moriom and others involved in the incident are questioned, truth will be revealed. On September 25, 2022, Rahima Begum, who remained “missing” for 29 days, was handed over to her family after her statement was recorded in the court. Read: Rahima Begum handed over to family after recording statement Later, she was taken to her younger daughter Aduri Akter’s house in Khulna’s Boyra area, said plaintiff’s lawyer Afruzzaman Tutul. In her statement, Rahima provided detailed information on being “abducted over land dispute”. She said she was abducted and taken to Chattogram. From there, she went to Faridpur on her own. Read I was abducted over land dispute: Rahima Begum The night before, police rescued Rahima from Boalmari upazila of Faridpur. “I was abducted by some unidentified men from in front of my house,” Rahima claimed when she met her family members at the PBI office in Khulna. “Golam Kibria and Md Mohiuddin, two people with whom Rahima was at loggerheads over land, had forcefully collected her signature on a blank paper and left her at a remote place with only Tk 1000,” Mushfiqur quoted Rahima at the time. Read No one takes clothes or medicine with them, if they are abducted: PBI SP

Khulna’s Rahima Begum, who remained  “missing” for 29 days, was handed over to her family this evening after her statement was recorded in the court. Khulna Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court-2 Judge AL Amin recorded Rahima’s statement around 6 pm. Later, she was taken to her younger daughter Aduri Akter’s house in the city's Boyra area, said plaintiff’s lawyer Afruzzaman Tutul. Also read: I was abducted over land dispute: Rahima Begum In her statement, Rahima provided detailed information on being “abducted over land dispute”. She said she was abducted and taken to Chattogram. From there, she went to Faridpur on her own. Earlier on Saturday night, police rescued Rahima from Boalmari upazila of Faridpur. Also read: Rahima stopped talking when police found her and asked questions “I was abducted by some unidentified men from in front of my house,” Rahima claimed when she met her family members at the PBI office in Khulna. “Golam Kibria and Md Mohiuddin, two people with whom Rahima was at loggerheads over land, had forcefully collected her signature on a blank paper and left her at a remote place with only Tk 1000,” Mushfiqur quoted Rahima. Four-five people Rahima accused over her abduction in the statement were also accused in a case filed over her going missing, following a complaint received from her children. Read Reported “missing”, Khulna’s Rahima was staying in Faridpur since Sept 17: Police

Khulna’s Rahima Begum, who had been missing for 29 days, has finally opened her mouth, and talked about her disappearance. “I was abducted by some unidentified men from in front of my house,” Rahima claimed when she met her family members at the PBI office in Khulna. According to SP Syed Mushfiqur Rahman of Police Bureau of Investigation Khulna, Rahima claimed that she was abandoned at an unfamiliar place after abduction. Read: No one takes clothes or medicine with them, if they are abducted: PBI SP “Golam Kibria and Md Mohiuddin, two people with whom Rahima was at loggerheads over land, had forcefully collected her signature on a blank paper and left her at a remote place with only Tk 1000,” Mushfiqur quoted Rahima. The SP added that they have also discovered why Rahima went to Abdul Quddus’ house in Faridpur. “At first, Rahima wasn’t sure where she would go. Later, she reached the house of Abdul Quddus in Syedpur village under Faridpur’s Boalkhali upazila via Gopalganj’s Muksedpur, the only place she knew that she could go to. She couldn’t let anyone know about her whereabouts as she didn’t have a mobile phone with her,” Rahima apparently told PBI. Read: Rahima stopped talking when police found her and asked questions SP Mushfiqur also said that police are currently verifying Rahima’s claims. “She has been sent to the court, where it’ll be decided what will happen next.” On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had stepped out to fetch water near her home in Banikpara area of Khulna’s Doulatpara upazila around 10pm. Her family found her sandals, scarf and the pitcher she was carrying from the spot. The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which an FIR was lodged by the cops against some people. Read Missing Khulna woman found dead in Mymensingh, family suspects On September 13, after Rahima remained missing for 17 days and police failed to find her, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to the Khulna court to transfer the case to the PBI, said Rahima’s elder daughter Moriom Mannan. The same day the court ordered police to hand over the case of Rahima Begum to the PBI.

Last Saturday, AQAP published a video depicting a United Nations employee who had been abducted more than six months prior, SITE Intelligence Group reported. In the video, AKM Sufiul Anam, a United Nations official identified as a Bangladeshi, said, “Currently I am held captive by Al Qaeda. It has been six months since I’m held captive in a place I do not know. My family does not know where I am. If I die, my family will not be able to know.” In the video message, ostensibly shot on August 9, Sufiul Anam was also heard pleading “the UN, the international community, the humanitarian organisations, to please come forward... and meet the demands of my captors”, without specifying the demands. Read: UNGA lauds Bangladesh’s leadership in promoting culture of peace The 65-year-old Bangladeshi claimed that he was in urgent need of hospitalisation due to major health issues. Sufiul Anam, identified as “director of the United Nations Office of Security and Safety in Yemen”, and four coworkers were abducted on February 11. Following the video and media reports on it, a relative of the abducted Bangladeshi UN official – on her Facebook profile – sought help from media, Bangladesh government, the UN, and other relevant organizations in freeing Sufiul Anam and his team. Sadia Hedayet wrote: “More than 6 months back, my uncle Sufiul Anam was abducted when him and his team were returning from a field mission near Aden, Yemen. He had retired as a Lieutenant Colonel of Bangladesh Army and has been serving as Field Security Coordination Head for UN Department of Safety and Security. He is set to retire this year after his United Nations career spanning about 17 years, during which he served in some of the most dangerous places in the world.” Read: 3 kidnapped labourers rescued from Ctg hill tracts “He is one of the bravest people I have ever met in my life. Sometimes when I am sitting by myself, I think what must have gone on in his mind when he was being taken. I think he tried to logically reason with them because that’s who he is.” “It has been more than six months that he has been held captive along with his colleagues from the UN. This is the first time in a long time that we have got an update that he is alive through a video released by his captors. But he is not okay. He is 60+ years old. He suffers from hypertension and diabetes. He has not seen daylight in 6 months…” “I am putting this message out there, as a desperate plea to bring attention to this issue. We are helpless, we don’t know how to help our uncle except this.”