UK BNP leader freed at last
After over three months of their disappearance, BNP leader Mujibur Rahman, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in the UK, and his driver were released by their abductors in Gazipur yesterday evening.
The duo were kidnapped in Sunamganj when they were going to Sylhet on May 4.
Family sources said the kidnappers dropped off Mujibur and driver Rezaul Haque near a bridge in Tongi on the outskirts of the capital around 7:00pm. They then reached Mujibur's Gulshan home in an auto-rickshaw.
Mujibur was admitted to the city's United Hospital. Doctors there said he was weak but out of danger, Anwar Hossain, Mujibur's brother-in-law, told The Daily Star last night.
The driver was sent home.
“When Mujibur and Rezaul were dropped off, they were blindfolded and made to wear burqas,” Anwar said, referring to his conversation with Mujibur, who is an advisory committee member of Sunamganj BNP.
Anwar said the kidnappers on May 4 had said they were policemen. “It could not be known where they were taken after the kidnapping and who the kidnappers were,” Anwar said.
Mujibur and his driver were blindfolded and taken separately. Mujibur was knocked out with drugs.
“Mujibur and Rezaul were kept in separate houses. The kidnappers changed their house once.
“Kidnappers tortured Mujibur in the initial days of the abduction,” he said.
Anwar said those who kidnapped Mujibur asked him about BNP leader Tarique Rahman, BNP chief Khaleda Zia's son, and Mujibur's connection with Tarique. They also asked about BNP politics in the UK.
The kidnappers spoke Bangla and English very well and Mujibur believes his abductors could be from a sophisticated armed force, Anwar said.
They had demanded Tk 12 crore ransom but it was not paid, Anwar claimed.
Mujibur told Anwar that they were brought down from the first floor of a building yesterday before being released at Tongi. As the kidnappers dropped them off, they told Mujibur and Rezaul that they were lucky to be alive.
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