Relatives of ten young men from Madaripur have reported them missing for nearly ten months after they attempted to travel illegally to Italy via the Mediterranean. Families remain in anguish, unable to confirm whether their children are alive or have perished. They claim to have paid traffickers between 28 and 30 lakh Bangladeshi Taka in an effort to secure their release.
The missing youths are:
| Name | Father’s Name | Age | Village/Area | Union/Upazila |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limon Bayapari | Anwar Bayapari | 19 | Nayakandi | Kendua, Sadar |
| Robiul Matubber | Hemayet Matubber | 22 | Nayakandi | Kendua, Sadar |
| Md. Joy Matubber | Titu Matubber | 20 | Datterhat | Kendua, Sadar |
| Zidan Hossain Howlader | Moktar Howlader | 18 | – | – |
| Walid Hasan | Julhas Chokdar | 19 | Gachbaria | Mostafapur |
| Mohammad Ali | – | 22 | Mashkandi | Peyarpur |
| Shariful Islam | Abul Bashar Matubber | 27 | Machchar | Bajitpur, Rajair |
| Azmul Khan | Hashem Khan | 30 | Pakhulla | – |
| Tuhin Majumdar | Kalu Majumdar | 23 | Mollakandi | – |
| Md. Mahabub Hossain | – | 21 | New Bus Stand | Madaripur Town |
According to their families, the young men were enticed by the promise of reaching Italy for a fee of just 15 lakh Taka each. The operation was orchestrated by Pyara Begum, the wife of Jahangir Dhali of Gajirchar, Kendua, and her accomplices. After collecting passports and initial payments, the traffickers sent the youths first to Dubai, before detaining them in a Libyan prison. There, the captives were reportedly subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse, with their families forced to pay an additional 13–15 lakh Taka each for their release.
In April of last year, the traffickers placed the youths on a motorised boat from the Libyan coast towards Italy. No contact has been made since, leaving families desperate.
Limon’s father, Anwar Bayapari, said, “My son was misled by Pyara Begum. I had no choice but to give her our passports and money. We paid 28 lakh Taka, yet for ten months we have had no news of him. My money is gone, and I cannot even find my child.”
The investigation has revealed that Pyara Begum’s elder son, Fardin Dhali, resides in Italy and allegedly directs the human trafficking operations, while her younger son, Saurav Dhali, collects ransom payments from victims’ families. Others implicated include Sabuj Kazi and Mujahid Sheikh from Shariatpur, relatives of each other, as well as Pyara Begum’s brother Ali Akbar.
Madaripur Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Investigation), Mohammad Jahangir Alam, told Prothom Alo, “One family has filed a case, leading to the arrest of three suspects. Once written complaints are submitted by other families, further legal action will be taken. Police continuously advise against using traffickers, but many ignore this warning, risking their lives and losing large sums of money. Raising public awareness is crucial to prevent human trafficking.”