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Published : 31 Mar 2026, 02:14 PM
A case has been filed in Derai against a “human trafficking syndicate” over the deaths of 12 people from Sunamganj in the Mediterranean Sea as they attempted to travel from Libya to Greece.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Enamul Haque Chowdhury said that the case was filed at Derai Police Station on Monday by Salikur Rahman, the father of the deceased Suhanur Rahman Ehiya from Basuri village of Jagdal Union.
Four individuals have been named in the case. They are Mujibur Mia, from Tarapasha village; Italy-based Saleh Ahmed, who hailed from Jagdal village; Shaikh Ahmed from Tiargaon village in Jagannathpur Upazila; and Jasim Mia from Chhatak Upazila. Several unidentified individuals have also been accused.
OC Enamul said that Salikur, who lost his son, alleged in the case that the broker syndicate deceived them, took money, and pushed his son and others toward death by promising to send them to Greece.
He added that legal action will be taken against the accused after an investigation.
Reports indicate that 12 young men from Sunamganj, including six from Derai, died on Saturday while crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Greece due to a lack of food and safe drinking water.
There are also allegations that their bodies were thrown into the sea.
The dead from Jagannathpur are Ejajul Haque Reza, 23, from Chilaura; Naim Mia, 24, from the same village; Shayek Ahmed Jony, 25, from Tiargaon village of Raniganj Union; Aminur Rahman, 26, from Pailgaon, Hargram; Ali Ahmed, 22, from Isgaon.
Six victims were from Derai Upazila: Nuruzzaman Moyna, 30, from Tarapasha village; Kulanj Union Shahan Mia, 25; Sajidur Rahman, 28; Mojibur Rahman, 38, a member of the Upazila Jubo Dal from Rarnarchar village in Rajanagar Union; Sohhanur Rahman Ehiya, 28, from Basuri village in Jagdal Union; and Tayef Mia, 30, from Matiapur village in Karimpur Union.
Additionally, Abu Fahim, from Kabirpur village in Dowarabazar Upazila, has also been reported dead, according to police.
Relatives of the dead said that they had gone to Libya between one and five months ago. From there, they were being trafficked to Greece by boat. Each family had paid between Tk 1.2 million to 1.3 million to the traffickers.
Salikur Rahman, the plaintiff, said: “My son became desperate to go to Europe after being influenced by the Italy-based Saleh Ahmed, son of Maulana Wahid Mia from Jagdal village. I sent him under a contract of Tk 1.2 million.”
“The last time I spoke to my son was on Mar 22. In a tearful voice, he said, ‘Father, I am suffering. There is no food, no water.’ After that, when I called the trafficker Saleh Ahmed, he did not answer.”
He added, “Even after learning about my son’s death, I tried calling him multiple times, but he has yet to receive the calls.”
Similarly, Anwar Hossain, father of the deceased Mehdi Hasan Tayef from Matiapur village, said:
“We spent Tk 1.2 million to send my son on a ship. To ensure his safety, we increased it to Tk 1.3 million. But the trafficker sent them on an ‘air-filled’, or unsafe boat. They died on the boat due to lack of food and water. We want justice.”
The accused could not be reached for comment. Their mobile phones were found switched off.
