Betagi (Barguna) Correspondent

Fish dealer Shahidul Islam (55) was abducted, tortured, and extorted of three lakh taka at Betagi in Barguna. 

Although a case has been lodged, the culprits remain at large, leaving Shahidul and his family in deep distress and fear. They’ve been rendered impoverished and are suffering immensely.

Shahidul Islam, son of the late Hazrat Ali Jomaddar from Kaiyalghata in Mokamia Union, had been engaged in fish trading. Through this business he developed relations with Asaduzzaman Jibon, son of A. Salam Howlader of Katakhali village in Hosnabad, same upazila.

On 7 May, Asaduzzaman visited Shahidul’s home to inquire about buying Galdha Renu fingerlings for his alleged pond. Again, on 9 May in the evening, he came to Shahidul’s house and from  contacted Shahidul’s r. He sent a Bkash advance of 10,000 taka as booking money for fingerlings.

Then, on 12 May around 6 PM, Asaduzzaman with another person came on a motorcycle to Shahidul’s home and bought Renu fingerlings worth 5,000 taka. To release them, he asked Shahidul to come along. Trusting him, Shahidul got on the same motorcycle. They rode via Betagi Bus Stand to Basonda village in Hosnabad. There, Asaduzzaman let off Shahidul and the unknown companion. The unknown person led them north through crop fields to a sandy pond bank near a brick kiln. Two more unidentified individuals suddenly surrounded Shahidul, tied his hands and feet to a tree, and left him.

Shahidul alleges at about 7 PM, Asaduzzaman and others, following a premeditated plan, tortured him with sticks, threatened him with a machete, burned him with a glowing cigarette, and demanded five lakh taka ransom, saying: “If we kill you, someone will pay five lakh, otherwise you’ll pay five lakh—so which is it?” He was beaten repeatedly and tortured. At midnight around 12 AM, they blindfolded him, took him by motorcycle to an unknown house in Kajirabad area, and stayed there until roughly 2 AM.

On 13 May at 8 AM, Asaduzzaman, using Shahidul’s number 01779500438, called his wife Nipu Begum, said Shahidul was abducted and demanded 500,000 T in ransom for his return, urging her to gather the money quietly without telling anyone and bring it to a secret location. The abductors called repeatedly to pressure Nipu mentally. She became distraught and with help from UP member A. Razzak Mridha and other relatives collected three lakh taka. She informed Asaduzzaman, and he instructed them to bring it to the front of the former Charar School (East Kajirabad Govt Primary School).

At 1 PM that day, Nipu and Shahidul’s sister Rokeya Begum reached the designated spot with 300,000 taka. Asaduzzaman secretly handed the money to an unfamiliar man by phone direction. When Nipu asked “Where is Shahidul? Release him first, then take the money,” the man slapped and punched her. Rokeya, watching from behind for safety, saw this. Suddenly the abductors snatched the money and fled on motorcycle, promising to return Shahidul in the evening.

That night at approximately 8 PM, they brought Shahidul, blindfolded, by motorcycle to the road in front of the known Charar School, opened his blindfold, and left him there. They then fled toward Betagi Upazila Sadar by motorcycle. Locals found and safely returned him home.

Though receiving treatment, Shahidul remains unwell—still fearful, speaks little around strangers, hides his face, and cannot go anywhere alone. He must be accompanied.

On 20 May, Shahidul’s sister Rokeya Begum filed a case at Betagi Police Station under sections 365, 385, and 386 against Asaduzzaman Jibon, son of A. Salam Howlader of Katakhali, and Md Alamgir Howlader, son of Sultan Howlader of Karuna village in Mokamia Union (Case no: 11, dated 20‑05‑2025).

Shahidul Islam said: “What can I say, brother? The torture they inflicted defies description. Remembering it still sends shivers through my body. I haven’t fully recovered—I’m in pain. I committed no crime, yet they treated me so inhumanly and stole my money and abandoned me on the road. I want justice—so no one else suffers this in the future.”

Rokeya Begum said: “Shahidul is now destitute. His body and mind are broken. We borrowed money from people to pay the ransom, and now we can’t repay those loans. I don’t know what the future holds. The accused are still at large, we live in fear.”

Repeated phone attempts were made to contact Asaduzzaman Jibon. On one number (01713956434) he answered but hung up upon learning the caller was a journalist. Then he phoned from another number , threatened the journalist, and asked how they got his number and why they called. He then cut the call.

SI Mizanur Rahman, lead investigator at Betagi Police Station, stated: “Investigation is ongoing and will take time. The accused are fugitives. We’ve found some evidence of truth. They did indeed receive money via Bkash and cash. We’ve sent a request to Bkash for transaction records; once we receive the report, we can confirm details. They called from the same line earlier. Our police went to the scene but the money transfer occurred before they arrived, which is why we couldn’t arrest them.