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Published : 26 May 2026, 10:21 PM
A man who travelled to Libya in hopes of reaching Italy has returned to Bangladesh after allegedly paying ransom to a human trafficking network.
The victim Md Sohel from Madaripur returned to the country on Monday with support from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and several international organisations after becoming trapped by brokers on Dec 25, 2025, while pursuing plans to migrate to Italy.
PBI announced the information at a media briefing at its Agargaon office on Tuesday.
Additional Deputy Inspector General Enayet Hossain Mannan said investigators arrested three people while probing a case filed with Turag Police.
Following the arrests, Sohel was reportedly released by his captors in Libya.
The three arrested are Titu Dhali, alias Manager Titu or Titu Mir, 25, Rahima Begum, 50, and Ismail Dewan, 49.
Investigating officer Zakaria Alam said Sohel left Bangladesh with the brokers’ help on Dec 25.
He was allegedly moved through several countries before being taken to Libya’s Tripoli and handed over to another group.
His family learnt he had been abducted after ransom demands were made on Feb 15.
According to the investigator, kidnappers sent videos to the family showing Sohel being tortured, including having his fingernails and toenails removed and being beaten while tied up.
Sohel said he had been confined in a room in Tripoli and repeatedly tortured.
“Those who tortured me were all Bangladeshis,” he said.
PBI said Sohel had become acquainted with Italy-based expatriate Riazul Matbar through a relative in 2025 and was promised legal migration to Italy through a local agent Titu.
Enayet said an agreement was made for Tk 2.4 million to facilitate the move, with Tk 400,000 paid upfront and the remaining amount to be paid after arrival in Italy.
Investigators said the family eventually paid the full Tk 2.4 million before Sohel left Bangladesh in late December.
Describing his journey, Sohel said he first arrived in Chennai before being moved to Sri Lanka, then Dubai, Egypt’s Alexandria and finally Libya’s Benghazi before being taken to Tripoli.
PBI officers said the first trafficking group later handed him over to another network, which allegedly detained him and demanded ransom.
The family paid another Tk 1.9 million against an initial Tk 2 million ransom demand.
PBI said the family eventually spent around Tk 6.3 million in total to free Sohel.
Enayet said the kidnappers released Sohel near Tripoli airport after the trafficking case was filed and the three suspects were arrested on Apr 21.
He said the agency coordinated with the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya and international organisations to arrange Sohel's return.
Asked whether influential figures in Bangladesh could be involved in the network, Enayet said investigators had received information suggesting the involvement of “big players”.
“We believe there may be influential people involved, as efforts to secure bail for the suspects suggest that possibility,” he said.
