Bangladeshi missing journalist in Libya traced after 5 days
Bangladeshi journalist Zahidur Rahman, who went missing in Libya five days ago, is now under the custody of Libyan intelligence agency.
Bangladesh ambassador to Libya major general SM Shamim-Uz-Zaman confirmed the news to Prothom Alo on Monday evening.
Zahidur Rahman, special correspondent of private television channel NTV, and Bangladeshi expatriate engineer Saiful Islam, who was accompanying the journalist, and a local driver Mohammad Khaled went missing on 23 March.
Ambassador Shamim-Uz-Zaman told Prothom Alo that they at first got information about driver Mohammad Khaled. They were confirmed later on Monday afternoon that Zahidur Rahman and engineer Saiful Islam are under the custody of Libyan intelligence agency. All-out effort is on to rescue these two Bangladeshis, he added.
Tasnima Rahman, wife of Zahidur Rahman, told Prothom Alo that they last talked to her husband on 23 March. The next day, they found his mobile switched off and could not contact him anymore.
Ambassador Shamim-Uz-Zaman said driver Mohammad Khaled has already returned to his family, but he remains silent about who took them hostage and where. However, they have received important valuable information about Zahidur Rahman and Saiful Islam, he said adding they hope these two Bangladeshis would be rescued soon based on the information.
Farhan Rahman, son of Zahidur Rahman, said they also contacted state minister for disaster management and relief Md Enamur Rahman as well as the NTV authorities. The state minister contacted the Bangladesh mission in Libya and informed the home ministry.
Zahidur Rahman lives with his wife and two children at his residence in Shimultala area of Savar, outskirt of the capital Dhaka. He is a director of Enam Medical College Hospital owned by state minister Enamur Rahman.
Family said Zahidur Rahman left Dhaka for London by a fight of Turkish Airlines on 3 March. He arrived in London next day. He went to Libya after traveling England, Scotland, Wells and North Ireland.
A day before he went missing, Zahidur Rahman took several photos at Green Square in Tripoli, capital of Libya, on 22 March. He then went to Leptis Magna area.
Zahidur Rahman posted several photos of Tripoli’s Green Square with an elderly man on Facebook. At that time expatriate engineer Saiful Islam and local driver Mohammad Khaled were accompanying him.
Ambassador Shamim-Uz-Zaman said that taking photos is banned in Tripoli and that may be the reason for the journalist to go missing.