DHAKA:  A businessman has been found alive in Savar 26 hours after his “mysterious abduction” from Narayanganj, a district witnessed a series of kidnappings and killings in the recent days.

Saiful Islam was released by the “kidnappers” blindfolded and hands and legs tied in front of National Mausoleum in Savar around 11.30pm on Saturday.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) claimed the businessman’s release as a success as what they said that the kidnappers freed him following a series of operations carried out by the elite force.

However, the businessman was abducted from Shanarpar in Narayanganj at about 9.30pm Friday when people were mourning the death of seven leaders and activists of the ruling party following their “broad daylight abduction” from Narayanganj Link Road.

Abu Bakar Siddique, husband of environmental lawyer Syeda Rezwana Hasan, was also kidnapped from the same road early last month. But, he was later released unhurt.

Although none contacted Rezwana’s family for any ransom, Tk 20 lakh was demanded as ransom for release of businessman Saiful Islam.

However, Saiful’s release came apparently without any ransom as well as without any so-called negotiation.

The abduction

Describing how he was abducted, Saiful informed that he was returning from a relative’s house Friday night and walking towards Shanarpar bus-stand.

As he heard someone was calling “Saiful, Saiful”, a car came to him and some four to five youths took him into the car.

He lost his sense as someone inside the car kept his feet on his head.

The next morning Saiful Islam found him on a mud-floor and still he is blindfolded and hands and legs tied.

He was offered loaves and water as breakfast, but the abductors neither talk to him nor talked among themselves in his presence.

The release

Saiful informed that one of the abductors in the evening told him “lets’ go” and took him to a car.

At one stage, they removed the rope, the car was slowed down, and he was kicked out of the car.

Once he found him beside the road, Saiful asked one passer-by that what the place it was.

The man took him to “Bismillah Restaurant” at Nabeenagr and Saiful informed his family and law-enforcers about the release.

The businessman was surprised that he had been abducted as he had no rivalry with anyone.

RAB success!

The RAB claimed the release of Saiful as their success. 

“It is an outcome of RAB operations conducted since his abduction. We had information that Saiful has been kept somewhere west of Dhaka and a series of drives took place to rescue him,” said Wing Commander ATM Habibur Rahman, the Legal and Media Wing Director of the elite force.

“The abductors released him smelling the activities of the RAB Intelligence Wing,” he said.

RAB officials think that the abductors knew Saiful.

“They had called him by his name which is an indication that the abductors might have been known to him,” said the RAB Director.

He however denied any pick up by RAB teams in plainclothes.

“RAB always conducts operations in uniforms,” claimed the elite force Director.

** N’ganj trader Saiful rescued

BDST: 0926 HRS, MAY 03, 2014