Gang member linked to trafficking Bangladeshis to Libya denied bail

A virtual court in Dhaka today rejected a bail petition of a gang member linked to trafficking of 26 Bangladeshis killed in Libya on May 28.

Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order after the lawyer for the accused Mohsin Howlader submitted a petition through an email seeking bail in a case filed with Paltan Police Station.

In his order, the magistrate said Mohsin on June 7 gave a confessional statement to Metropolitan Magistrate Ashek Imam about his involvement with trafficking of people to Libya.

Moreover, three other accused -- Zahangir Hossain, 40, of Shibchar in Madaripur; Badsha Fakir, 34, of Bhanga in Faridpur; and Kabir Howlader, 38, of Muladi in Barishal -- gave confessional statements to another magistrate on June 21.

In their statements, they said that they trafficked a number of people including Md Rakib, who had been missing since May 28. So his (Mohsin) bail was rejected, the magistrate added.

Mannan Munshi, father of the victim, filed a case with Paltan Police Station on June 4 against 16 traffickers -- including the four -- for their alleged involvement with trafficking of his son in June last year.

According to the prosecution, it was alleged that Badsha, Zahangir, Kabir and others were involved with the trafficking of his son Rakib to Libya in June last year.

With these four, a total of 52 people including Kamal Uddin alias Haji Kamal, the ring leader of the human trafficking gang, were arrested so far in 26 cases filed across the country over human trafficking to Libya.