One of the 10 missing youths from Bangladesh is a converted Muslim and Japan expat

Family and acquaintances have confirmed that one of the ten missing youths, now a Japanese expatriate, going by the name Md Saifullah Ojaki is actually Brahmanbarhia resident Sojit Chandra Debnath.

Brahmanbarhia Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 12 July 2016, 05:09 PM
Updated : 21 July 2016, 05:16 PM

He is a converted Muslim.

After reports of some missing youths resurfacing to carry out the Gulshan and Sholakia attacks hit the headlines, a bdnews24.com investigation into the 10 other missing cases has led to the revelation of this fact.

The identity of the youth has been confirmed by his father Janardan Debnath.

After taking a look at the photographs of the ten missing youths, Jonardan identified Saifullah as being his son.
 
They are natives of Karaibarhi village under Nabinagar Upazila. 
 
The local union council chairman as well as other acquaintances have corroborated the fact that Sojit moved to Japan in 2001 and settled permanently there.
 
It is in Japan that he converted to Islam, they said.

Sojit had also started teaching at a university in Japan, one of his classmates told bdnews24.com.

The list provided by security agencies mentions Saifullah’s father’s name as Janardan and his address as Nabinagar Yatim Khana Gate. His passport number is 8099860.

Tracking the details provided in the list, bdnews24.com headed to the address and met Janardan.

He said he had last spoken to his son a year ago but was not aware that Sojit had been missing.

“When he came over to the house of Upazila Chairman Abdur Rouf about 14 months ago, we went there to meet him. A year ago, he spoke to us from Japan over telephone. Since then, we have had no contacts,” the father said.

Breaking into tears while speaking about his son, Janardan said his wife also weeps almost every day for her son.

Nabinagar OC Imtiaj Ahmed told bdnews24.com that there was no case against Sojit at the police station.

“But a few days ago, an instruction from the (Detective Branch) in Dhaka had come asking us to verify the name and address of Saifullah Ojaki. We did and sent that,” the officer said.