A Jubo Dal leader in Munshiganj has been accused of abducting a government-authorised marriage registrar, threatening to kill him and forcing him to withdraw two lakh taka from a bank before releasing him.

Nahid Hasan of Munshiganj made the allegations in a Facebook post and told Daily Waadaa that he had also lodged a complaint with police over the incident.

He accused Rajib Hossain Opu, joint convener of Munshiganj Sadar Upazila Jubo Dal, and his associates of taking his father from their home on October 5 after calling him on the pretext of arranging a marriage ceremony.

“My father was called and told that he had to solemnise a marriage,” Nahid said. “Instead, they took him away from our home.”

According to Nahid, his father was first taken to his kazi office, where several men arrived on three motorcycles.

He was then allegedly forced to go with them to the Muktarpur area of Munshiganj, where he was intimidated and threatened with death.

Nahid alleged the group initially demanded 500,000 taka before reducing the amount to 200,000 taka.

The men allegedly took his father's mobile phone and other belongings before taking him to an Agrani Bank PLC branch at Kachari Bazar in Munshiganj.

There, Nahid said, his father was forced to withdraw 200,000 taka and hand the money over to the group.

“He was released immediately after giving them the money,” Nahid said.

The family was subsequently threatened against reporting the incident, according to Nahid.

He said his father initially concealed what had happened out of fear and only told him about the incident at around 10pm.

Nahid then contacted Munshiganj-3 lawmaker Kamruzzaman Ratin, who, according to Nahid, expressed concern and assured him of assistance in approaching police.

Nahid, who lives in Dhaka, travelled to Munshiganj and persuaded his father, who he said was afraid of retaliation, to go to the police.

He said they went to the police station and lodged a complaint over the alleged abduction, threats and extortion.

Officer-in-Charge Md Taslim Uddin heard their account and assured them of police cooperation, Nahid said.

According to Nahid, Taslim said police would coordinate with the deputy commissioner, lawmaker Ratin and other relevant authorities to take action against those involved.

Nahid said Opu later appeared at the police station and acknowledged taking the 200,000 taka.

The money was subsequently returned with the intervention of the officer-in-charge, he said.

Nahid alleged, however, that attempts were then made to persuade the family not to pursue the matter further on the grounds that the money had been returned.

He said his father was also warned that pursuing a case could put him or his family at risk, leaving him reluctant to proceed.

Nahid, however, decided to take legal action.

“If my father had done anything wrong or violated any law, there are laws and the administration to deal with that,” he wrote in his Facebook post.

“No political leader has the right to take the law into his own hands. No one has the right to abduct someone, threaten them and forcibly take money.”

Nahid said Opu and one of his associates were later detained in connection with the allegations.

Waadaa tried to contact Opu for his response to the allegations but could not reach him.

Nahid said his family remained concerned about possible retaliation but insisted the allegations should be properly investigated.

“If this can happen to my father and we remain silent, then tomorrow another helpless or ordinary person could face the same harassment and extortion,” he said.

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