A Chittagong University (CU) student was kidnapped yesterday, allegedly by an activist of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), for a ransom of Tk. 2 lakh. He was later released after Tk. 1 lakh was paid. Earlier, Tk. 75,000 had been paid. The victim, Md Sajik Khan, is a first-year student of biochemistry. He is from Mirzapur upazila of Tangail district. The BCL man allegedly behind the crime has been identified as Anik Hossain Sabbir, a student of the university’s management department. He is known to be a follower of Rezaul Haque Rubel, former vice-president of the CU BCL unit. Sources said Sajik had secured the 87th position in the university’s ‘A’ unit admission. He wanted admission to the biochemistry department. But he was uncertain about chance and promised to pay Tk. 1.5 lakh to Sabbir for getting a seat in the department.

Accordingly, Sajik paid Sabbir an initial sum of Tk 50,000.

However, Sajik was normally admitted to the biochemistry department. After learing of his admission, he refused to pay the rest of the promised sum to the BCL activist.

Sabbir, then, began threatening Sajik to get the money.

When Sajik went to give Sabbir an additional amount of Tk. 25,000 yesterday morning, the BCL leader and his cronies abducted him and demanded another Tk. 2 lakh as ransom from the victim’s family. They threatened kill Sajik if the money was not paid, said sources.

Confirming the news, Jahura Begum, mother of Sajik, said: “To get admission to the biochemistry department, we promised to pay Tk. 1.5 lakh to the BCL activist. But my son got admitted to the department through the normal process. Even after that, I gave the BCL activist Tk 75,000.”

She said the kidnappers demanded Tk. 2 lakh through Dutch Bangla mobile banking and threatened to kill her son if the money was not paid. “To get my son back alive, I gave the kidnapper Tk. 1 lakh more. After that they released my son,” said Jahura Begum.

When this correspondent tried to contact Sabbir over the phone, he received the call but disconnected it without speaking. After that, his phone was found to be switched off.

Rezaul Haque Rubel, former vice-president of the CU BCL, said: “If anyone committed such a crime, the university authorities will take steps against them.”

CU proctor Ali Asgor Chowdhury said: “We’ve been informed about the matter. We told the law enforcers to take necessary action.”