Man linked to trafficking of 26 Bangladeshis killed in Libya remanded

A Dhaka court today placed a member of a gang -- linked to the trafficking of 26 Bangladeshis killed in Libya on May 28 -- on a three-day remand.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury passed the order after detectives produced Md Kamal Hossain before his court with a seven-day remand prayer.

The court also rejected the bail petition of the 40-year-old man, who was arrested in Dhaka yesterday in connection with a case filed against him and 35 others with Khilgaon Police Station on June 9 over trafficking of Bangladeshis to Libya.

In the remand prayer, Shafiqul Islam, inspector of the detective branch of police and also the investigation officer of the case, said Kamal Hossain was directly involved with trafficking people to Libya. So, he needs to be remanded to learn of the whereabouts of others involved with the trafficking, the IO added.

On May 28, 38 Bangladeshis and some Africans were held hostage by human traffickers in Libya. The traffickers demanded a large amount of money, although the victims had earlier paid up to $10,000 each. At one stage, the trafficking gang fired shots, leaving 26 Bangladeshis dead.

With Kamal Hossain, a total of 39 people including Kamal Uddin alias Haji Kamal, the ring leader of the human trafficking gang, were arrested so far in 22 cases filed across the country over human trafficking to Libya.