A young man from Madaripur, who went to Europe in search of a better life, was killed by human traffickers in Libya even after his family paid nearly Tk 6 million in ransom demands. The killing has shocked his village and renewed fears over the trafficking networks that still lure young Bangladeshi men with promises of passage to Italy.
Who Was The Victim?
The victim was identified as Sohag Munshi, a painter of Majumdarkandi village under Rajoir upazila in Madaripur district. They only learned this week of his shooting, which took place on 24 July, with confirmation on Wednesday and details released on Thursday, 30 July.
How the Trafficking Started
Sohag wanted to make a better life in Italy and, in this quest, came in contact with local brokers identified as Moyna Akhtar and Julhas Sardar. His family had initially paid the brokers Tk 2.2 million for safe passage to Europe. Sohag left Bangladesh in September 2025, initially heading to Saudi Arabia before being transferred to Tripoli, Libya, where he was seized by an armed trafficking gang.
Growing Demands and Torture
During his detention, Sohag is alleged to have been constantly subjected to physical torture. His captors are said to have sent disturbing video footage of abuse to his family in Bangladesh in order to pressure them to pay more money. Under the pressure of this duress, the family transferred another Tk 3.8 million in a number of instalments. Later, the traffickers demanded another Tk 200,000 on the pretext of arranging his return to Bangladesh. On 23 July the traffickers made a fresh demand of Tk 2.7 million. When the family could not raise the amount by the deadline, which was the next morning, Sohag was shot by the kidnappers, and his body was dumped, police said.
Village in Shock, Others Still Held Captive
The killing has shocked the local community in Rajoir. Relatives and neighbours say the same criminal network in Libya is holding at least 11 other young men from the same region hostage, raising fears that more families could face similar demands and violence. Sohag’s bereaved relatives called on the government to help recover and repatriate his body and to take tough action against those responsible for his death.
Answer from the Police
Sohag’s mother Shahinur Begum filed a written complaint with the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Madaripur, Bimal Chandra Barman, at Rajoir police station on Wednesday night. Based on the complaint, police arrested the alleged prime suspect, Julhas Sardar, who has now been placed on remand. Investigators said local accomplices tend to keep moving around to avoid arrest, but cracking down on the ringleaders overseas will require cross-border intelligence sharing and coordination with authorities in Libya.
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A Deadly and Common Pattern
Sohag’s death is part of a pattern that has emerged repeatedly in Bangladeshi media in recent years. It involves young men from rural districts who are promised safe, well-paying passage to Europe, only to be caught by armed groups in Libya, which torture them and make videos to send to their families for ransom. Migration researchers and rights groups have for a long time pointed to the absence of regulated, transparent recruitment channels as a major reason for the continued operation of these networks. For families in districts like Madaripur, where dreams of migration to Italy still hold a strong pull, the case is a sobering reminder of the risks of informal broker networks and the human cost when payments don’t guarantee safety.
With the investigation continuing, attention is likely to turn to whether Bangladeshi authorities can cooperate with Libyan and international agencies to free the other men said to remain in the hands of the same network, and to bring the traffickers to justice.
Summary
A Bangladeshi youth from Madaripur was shot dead in Libya by human traffickers after his family paid Tk 6 million in ransom. Police have arrested a local broker as at least 11 others remain held hostage by the same network.
Summary
A Bangladeshi youth from Madaripur was shot dead in Libya by human traffickers after his family paid Tk 6 million in ransom. Police have arrested a local broker as at least 11 others remain held hostage by the same network.
