Kidnap Allegations Rock Two Local BNP Leaders

A young man has accused two local leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of abducting him, assaulting him and demanding a ransom of Tk300,000 in Patuakhali’s Bauphal upazila. Police rescued the alleged victim after receiving an emergency call through the national 999 service on Thursday afternoon.

The victim, 40-year-old Nasir Uddin Mridha, is a resident of Char Algi village in Bauphal. According to his account, he was abducted at around 1:15 pm from the Hetalia Bandhghat area of Patuakhali town while returning from a court appearance. He claims he was later transported to Bauphal, where he was confined, physically assaulted and threatened with death unless his captors received the ransom they demanded.

The allegations have been levelled against Md Ali Azam Chowdhury, a member of the Bauphal Upazila BNP and president of the Daspara Union BNP, and Md Masum Billah, joint general secretary of the Bauphal Municipal BNP. Both men have categorically denied any involvement in the incident.

Describing the sequence of events, Nasir said he had travelled to the Patuakhali court earlier that morning to attend a hearing in a pending case. While making his way home, an unfamiliar man allegedly approached him at Hetalia Bandhghat and asked for his identity. Shortly after identifying himself, Nasir said the man snatched his mobile phone. He alleges that a group led by Ali Azam Chowdhury then surrounded him and repeatedly questioned him about the whereabouts of Daspara Union Parishad Chairman ANM Jahangir Hossain.

Nasir claimed he informed them that he had no knowledge of the chairman’s location. He alleges that despite his response, he was forcibly placed on a motorcycle before being escorted by several other motorcycles to Bauphal. There, he said, he was taken to the personal office of Masum Billah near Engineer Faruk Talukdar Women’s College.

According to the victim, his hands and feet were tied before the group demanded Tk300,000 as ransom. He alleges that when he refused to comply, he was beaten, threatened with death and subjected to further intimidation. The ordeal came to an end only after police intervened later that afternoon following an emergency alert made through the national 999 service.

Nasir also alleged that his captors forcibly took Tk3,000 from his mobile financial service account and another Tk3,500 in cash that he was carrying at the time. He is currently undergoing medical treatment for injuries he says were sustained during the incident. He has stated that he intends to pursue legal action.

Local sources familiar with the political situation said the allegations emerge against the backdrop of a long-running dispute over influence within Daspara Union Parishad. The conflict reportedly centres on Union Parishad Chairman ANM Jahangir Hossain and BNP leader Ali Azam Chowdhury. Nasir is widely known in the area as a loyal supporter of the chairman. He earns his living as a farmer and also operates a cattle farm.

Responding to the accusations, Ali Azam Chowdhury dismissed them as baseless. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he claimed that Nasir was involved in drug trafficking and insisted he had no connection with any abduction. Masum Billah also rejected the allegations, describing them as entirely false and maintaining that he had no involvement in any kidnapping or unlawful confinement.

Officer-in-Charge Md Sirajul Islam of Bauphal Police Station said police launched an immediate operation after receiving information through the national emergency hotline 999. Officers rescued the alleged victim at approximately 3:30 pm and later handed him over to his relatives.

The police official added that because the alleged abduction reportedly began within the jurisdiction of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, any criminal case relating to the initial offence should be filed there. He said the matter would proceed in accordance with the law if a formal complaint is submitted.