Tormented there, attacked here

Family members of an alleged human trafficker reportedly launched an attack on the residence of one of the victims right after he was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion on Saturday at Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh.

The family of the trafficking victim -- Mohammad Tajuddin -- had to flee their home out of fear, said his brother Rafiqul Islam.

They were able to go back to their residence with police intervention, he added.

On Saturday afternoon, Rab-14 arrested Md Asad (25) of Ghagra village after three human trafficking victims -- Abdur Rahman (35), his nephew Taijuddin (35) and neighbor Masum (22) -- filed three cases against Asad and his elder brother Kamruzzaman Kajal (45) with a Mymensingh court for the duo's alleged involvement in trafficking them to Vietnam in December last year, said Rab sources.

Rab raided the area and arrested Asad around 2:30pm, said Sub-inspector Indrajit Roy. Kajal managed to fee, he added.

Asad was being interrogated at the Rab office in Mymensingh as of filing this report.

Regarding the attack, Anukul Sarker, officer-in-charge of Gafargaon Police Station, said, "We visited the spot, and are looking into the matter."

Taijuddin, one of the victims, said the accused took Tk 4.2 lakh from each of them to send them to Vietnam on December 25 last year, promising jobs with Tk 30,000 per month salary.

They managed the money mostly by selling land and on loan, he said.

After reaching Vietnam, three Bangladeshis received them.

Tajuddin said the three held them captive. "We were forced to work for them," he added. After working for two months, when they demanded salary, they were tortured, alleged Taijuddin.

At one stage, they managed to flee, and surrendered to Vietnam police, who handed them over to the Bangladesh embassy. They returned home in August, he added.

"The traffickers are influential. At first we informed locals and tried to realise the money through arbitration but they did not respond. They refused to return the money," said Taijuddin's brother Rafiqul.

"We then informed police and eventually filed the cases," he said.

He alleged that right after Asad's arrest, his family members and relatives tried to attack them with rods and sticks.

"We had to flee to save ourselves," he said, adding, "We were able to return home the same day with police intervention." This correspondent could not get in touch with Asad's family members, despite repeated attempts.

Though Tajuddin and his family went back to their residence but troubles seem to be far from over for the three victims. They are now passing days amid hardship.

"We have to depend on the support of our relatives and neighbours to survive," lamented Taijuddin, a father of three.