SSC examinee reportedly kidnapped from Rampura

An SSC examinee named Arefin Kamrul Islam, 17, has been reportedly abducted from the capital's Rampura area.

Arefin left his house in East Rampura on Thursday afternoon, saying he was going to a friend's house. He has not been found since then.

Later, at 1:09am on Friday (11 April), his father, Harun Ur Rashid, received a call from an unknown person who claimed that Arefin had been kidnapped and demanded a ransom of Tk5 lakh for his release.

Harun has filed a case over the incident with the Rampura Police Station.

"Police are working on the matter," the station's Officer-in-Charge Md Ataur Rahman Akand told The Business Standard, confirming the matter.

Meanwhile, speaking to TBS, Harun said their house is in the Salambagh Mosque area of ​​East Rampura.

"Yesterday, around 5pm, Arefin left the house for a friend's place in Mollabari Sohrab Goli in Rampura. He had a laptop and a mobile phone with him. When he did not return home even at night, we tried to reach him over the phone, but his number was found switched off. After that, we searched for him at the homes of his friends and relatives, but he could not be found anywhere," said Harun.

Arefin's friend told Harun that his son had left the friend's house in the evening. 

"Then, at 1:09am, a call came from an unknown number to my phone. The person said Arefin has been kidnapped. We would have to pay a ransom of Tk5 lakh to get him back. 

"They also threatened to kill my son if we do not pay the money. The kidnappers then asked me to send money through mobile banking using another mobile number," said the distressed father.

Harun said he sent Tk26,000 to the number given by the kidnapper in 12 attempts. "The kidnappers also said that if we fail to pay the money, they would kill him and leave him on the Hatirjheel Bridge."

Arefin remains missing as of filing of this report.