A youth named Rifat (19), son of a Saudi expatriate, was kidnapped from his home in Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar by a group posing as DGFI officers. Law enforcement rescued him the next day and arrested nine suspects, including the alleged ringleader.
The dramatic incident unfolded on Monday night when a group of 10–12 men arrived in a HiAce vehicle at the residence of expatriate Shahidul Islam Malu Mia in Laur Fatehpur village. Claiming to be members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the group scaled the boundary wall, entered the home, and forcefully abducted Rifat in the presence of local police.
When Nabinagar police arrived at the scene, the kidnappers threatened them, insisting they were DGFI agents on a mission. To verify their claim, police contacted senior military and law enforcement officials. The kidnappers also spoke over the phone, falsely identifying themselves as DGFI personnel. Rifat was then taken away.
Around 3:00 AM, the abductors contacted Malu Mia and initially demanded Tk 50 lacs. Later in the morning, they raised the ransom to Tk 3 crore and contacted Rifat’s mother. This triggered suspicions, especially as there was no official DGFI operation in the area, prompting an urgent investigation.
Using the vehicle’s registration and the driver’s mobile number, police launched a rescue operation. On Tuesday afternoon, Rifat was found near the railway area of Kasba upazila, close to the border. The man claiming to be Captain Rezaul Karim Reza was detained on the spot.
Further investigation led to the arrest of eight more suspects in Khulna through digital tracking. Among them were individuals linked to security forces, as admitted by Reza after his arrest. Reza, son of late Milon Mia of Kasba municipality, served in the Air Force as a Leading Aircraftman from 2014 to 2019.
Rifat later told police that he had agreed with his captors to deliver Tk 3 crore in exchange for release. They received Tk 10 lakh in two phases and released him after providing a bank account number, which helped law enforcers locate him and trap the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, Malu Mia’s wife alleged that the kidnappers looted Tk 2 lakh in cash and 26 vori of gold from their home during the fake raid.
A formal case has been filed at Nabinagar Police Station against known suspects, including Kamal Mia, Abu Kalam Azad, and Kamal Khandakar, along with 15 unnamed individuals.
Liberty News’ crime correspondent states that the second Officer of Nabinagar Police Station, Abdul Monaf, confirmed the rescue and arrests, stating that police teams are en route to bring the remaining suspects to Nabinagar for interrogation.
LND/BG
