Anowar, Helal families relieved following their release by Islamic State

Families of two Bangladeshi, who were released after 18 days of captivity by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Libya, are breathing easy.

Mohammed Anowar Hossain and Helal Uddin were released on Tuesday evening and were taken to Sirte hospital for check-up.

They, along with seven other foreigners, were taken hostage on Mar 6 when gunmen invaded Al-Ghani oil field south of Libya’s Sirte city, 700 kilometres from capital Tripoli.

Anowar Hossain hails from Goyespur village in Noakhali’s Begumganj and Helal from South Gajaria village in Jamalpur’s Madarganj.

Families of the two came to know about their release from TV news after the foreign ministry confirmed it on Tuesday night.

Anowar’s wife Marufa Khatun Moni and Helal’s wife Aleya Begum said Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli also called them in the early hours of Wednesday to inform them of their husbands’ release.

The two families were passing days in great anxiety since they heard about their captivity.

Anowar’s parents Md Yunus Mia and Afroza Begum said it was a great relief for the family.

His wife Moni, who lives in Dhaka’s Jatrabarhi with their son and daughter, said he called her from Libya in the early hours of Wednesday.

She told bdnews24.com: “Anowar is fine. He wished to return home after medical check-up.”

Helal’s wife Aleya said she could not talk to her husband until Wednesday noon.

She told bdnews24.com Bangladesh embassy had called her at around 12:30am on Wednesday to inform her of Helal’s release.

“Now he is admitted to a hospital,” she added.

Aleya said her husband had called her earlier on Tuesday from captivity.

He told his wife that he had overheard his captors discussing their release ‘within a day or two’.

Helal told Aleya that they were ‘alright’ though the captors were giving them only a single meal a day.

ISIS hogged the spotlight last year by announcing a 'Caliphate' after seizing vast swathes of Iraq and Syria after al-Qa​​eda's activities ebbed due to heavy attacks from the West.