The Libya kidnapping case involving a Bangladeshi man has taken a significant turn, with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arresting two alleged members of a human trafficking ring accused of holding him captive and extorting money from his family. The suspects were detained in a raid in Natore, and investigators are now questioning them in an effort to trace the wider network and secure the victim’s release.
Two Suspects Arrested in Natore
According to the CID, the two arrested men are Md Monowar Hossain, 40, and Md Sohel Rana, 45, both residents of Chandpur village under Singra upazila in Natore. They were taken into custody during a raid on the Singra Bazar area at around 1pm on Thursday, 12 November.
The CID said its team identified the suspects after collecting information, evidence and intelligence during the course of the investigation. The agency took over the case at a later stage, after the family had already been subjected to repeated demands for money.
How the Libya Kidnapping Case Unfolded
The victim has been identified as Md Saiful, 39, son of Md Abdus Samad of Manmat Bipujipara village in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha. According to the investigation, he travelled to Libya about two years ago through a Bangladeshi agent named Sohel, hoping to secure a better livelihood for his family. Soon after his arrival, he allegedly fell into the hands of a human trafficking ring and was held captive.
The family’s ordeal began on 5 August 2025, when Saiful’s wife received a phone call from a Libyan number informing her that her husband was being held. The callers made a ransom demand of Tk30 lakh and threatened to kill him if the money was not paid. They also told the family that they would not be allowed to speak to Saiful until at least half of the amount had been handed over.
Between 10 and 25 August 2025, the family paid Tk5 lakh through a bKash agent at Bamondanga Hall Mor in Sundarganj. The money was sent to several mobile numbers supplied by the callers. Despite the payment, the kidnappers reportedly continued to deny the family any contact with Saiful.
Fresh Demands and Offers of Rescue
The case took a further turn when a man identifying himself as Sohel contacted Saiful’s wife, claiming to have information about her husband and offering to travel to Libya himself to rescue him. The caller alleged that Saiful was being held by two individuals named Mokarram and Anwar in Libya.
Subsequently, another caller demanded Tk42 lakh from Saiful’s father, promising to free his son in return. The repeated approaches, each tied to a fresh financial demand, point to a pattern in which families of victims are pressed for money through multiple channels while the person in captivity remains out of reach.
Investigators Seek the Wider Network
The Criminal Investigation Department said the detained suspects are being questioned to identify other members of the trafficking network and to trace the routes used by the traffickers. Locating and rescuing Saiful in Libya remains a central objective of the investigation.
The arrests come at a time when authorities in Bangladesh have been stepping up action against trafficking networks that lure people abroad with the promise of work. Earlier this month, the CID arrested two alleged members of a separate ring accused of luring Bangladeshi youths to Cambodia with offers of well-paid jobs and selling them to scam centres, where a ransom of $5,000 was demanded for their release. A case in that matter was filed on 26 October under the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026.
Why the Libya Kidnapping Case Matters
The episode illustrates the risks faced by migrant workers who travel through informal agents and intermediaries. Families who sell assets or borrow money to send a relative abroad can find themselves targeted a second time when that relative is detained and a ransom demand follows. In this instance, the use of mobile financial services to move money to anonymous numbers made it difficult for the family to verify who was on the other end of the line, a feature that investigators will now have to examine closely.
The suspects remain under questioning, and the CID has not announced further arrests. For Saiful’s family, which has by now paid part of the ransom and been approached by multiple callers, the immediate hope rests on whether the information obtained from the detainees can lead investigators to the people holding him in Libya.
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