3 abducted Sri Lankan nationals rescued in Bagerhat, 3 detained

They had come to Bangladesh at the invitation of a friend they had made on social media, police say

Police have rescued three Sri Lankan nationals from Bagerhat’s Mollahat Upazila. The three had come to Bangladesh on a visit at the invitation of a friend they had made on social media.

Three people – including the person who sent them the invitation – have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the abduction.

The three Sri Lankans were found at the home of Emdad Kazi at South Ambari village in the Upazila around midnight on Wednesday, according to Md Touhidul Arif, superintendent of police for Bagerhat.

The visitors were identified as Malavi Pathirana aka Nihal Anondo, Pathirana aka Tikiri Kumarihami and Thuppi Mudiansila Nil. Details on the relationship between them were not immediately available.

The detainees were identified as South Ambari residents Shahidul Sheikh, 24, and Kazi Emdad Hossain, 52, and Jony Sheikh, 38, from Gopalganj Sadar Upazila.

SP Touhidul said, “Recently Emdad became acquainted with the three Sri Lankan nationals on social media. Emdad invited them to Bangladesh with talk of business opportunities.”

“The three Sri Lankan nationals arrived in Bangladesh on Tuesday. They were taken hostage after arriving in the country. Members of their families called from Sri Lanka and informed us that they had been kidnapped. They had been told they would not be let go without a ransom. They were taken to Bagerhat’s Mollahat at 10:30pm on Wednesday night.”

The Bangladesh government was informed of the matter when the families of the abductees informed the Bangladesh mission in Sri Lanka.

Based on information from detectives, a raid was carried out at Emdad’s house at 12:30am on Thursday, the three abductees rescued, and three believed to be involved in the abduction were detained, the police superintendent said.

The three Sri Lankan nationals are in safe custody and the detainees are being questioned, he added.