Kidnappings have seen a surge in the country over the last four years with many cases involving deception and exploitation of personal relationships, in a shift in kidnappers’ tactics.
According to statistics provided by the Police Headquarters, 642 incidents took place in 2024, 463 in 2023, 460 in 2022 and 445 in 2021.
However, the traditional picture of kidnapping by forcefully picking up someone for ransom is increasingly outdated. In many cases, victims are now lured or tricked into situations where they are held captive and forced to pay ransom.
This shift in modus operandi has left law enforcement agencies struggling to keep pace with the crime.
While forcible abductions continue across the country, especially in rural and hilly areas, the ‘relationship-based’ kidnappings have seen a rise in recent times.
Victims often hesitate to report these incidents, fearing social stigma or repercussions, which emboldens criminals to commit such crime again and again.
Of the 642 incidents reported last year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police recorded 132 followed by 88 under Chattogram Range, 86 under Dhaka Range, 47 under Rangpur Range, 41 under Rajshahi Range, 40 under Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), 36 under Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RPMP) and 31 under Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP).
Police Spokesperson Enamul Haque Sagor, also assistant inspector general (AIG) of police, told the the media that the kidnappers changed the modus operandi.
“Our drives are underway against the criminals,” he said.
Rasel Khan, a clothes trader, had a business relationship with Ayna alias Kazli. She called him and asked him to go to Shewrapara in Mirpur of the capital on 10 January. After going there, the trader was held hostage in a room.
His belongings, including Tk 75,000 in cash and a handset, were taken away from him and Tk10 lakh more was demanded from his family as ransom.
Being informed, police rescued the victim and arrested five kidnappers.
On 24 September last year, Mohammad Emon, 28, the son of Ali Mohammad Bhuiyan and Farida Begum, went missing after he went out of his house at Kandapara at Siddhirganj in Narayanganj. Two days later, his mother filed a general diary (GD) at Siddhirganj Police Station over the missing.
Later, anonymous people demanded Tk 6 lakh from his family after sending several photos depicting him with visible injuries. However, the criminals abandoned him at a place in the Siddhirganj area after law enforcers launched a massive manhunt.
However, the victim did not disclose any information about how he was abducted and who were involved in the incident after getting released, said his brother-in-law Al Mamun.
The family also did not lodge any case or complaint anew while police did not identify and arrest the criminals.
Mamun said two other persons went missing from the area last year. Of them, one, who is a businessman, got released by paying Tk10 lakh as ransom while the whereabouts of the other named Abdur Rahman, 32, son of Jakir Hossain of Chowdhurypara Katherpool in Siddhirganj, has yet to be traced.
Regarding the businessman’s kidnapping, the victim or his family did not file a complaint with the police and the criminals still remain unidentified and at large, said Mamun.
AIG Sagor said police have nothing to do if the victim or his family did not lodge a case or complaint.
However, former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Khan Sayeed Hasan told the media that the officer-in-charge (OC) of a police station must try to prevent any crime at first.
“If he or she is unable to prevent any crime, he’ll detect it. If the victim or family thinks that the filing of any complaint or case will be a reason for concern for them, the police will lodge the complaint or case,” he said.
“It’s the responsibility of the OC to detect the crime. If he/she can’t do it for logical reasons, it’s a different issue. But he/she must initiate measures. If the OC doesn’t do so, he/she will be held responsible,” said the former DIG.
Crime analyst Dr Tawohidul Haque of Dhaka University told the media that victims do not want to file any complaint in fear of further repercussions. “So, law enforcers should bring the criminals to book, even if the victims are uninterested, to keep the law-and-order situation stable,” he said.
Tawohidul also lamented that in many cases, law enforcers did not take any action against the kidnappers even after the filing of cases.
Courtesy: Daily Sun.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
