Expat Couple Held Hostage and Assaulted in Lakshmipur; Krishak Dal Leader Arrested

An expatriate and his wife faced a harrowing hostage situation and violent assault while visiting a friend's rented apartment in Raipur, Lakshmipur. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon on the ground floor of a building on Mirganj Road in Ward 7 of the municipality. Following a case filed by the expat, Sabuj, police arrested local Krishak Dal leader Riad Hasan Boyati from the Raipur Bazar area on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the case statement, Sabuj's wife, Milli Akter, had gone to the residence to attend the birthday party of her friend Sathi Akter's daughter. Shortly after they arrived, the perpetrators barged into the house, harassed the victims, and looted over one bhori of gold jewelry. When Milli protested, she was brutally beaten. The attackers then blackmailed the couple under false accusations, filmed them, and extorted 25,000 BDT in cash along with bank cards.

Sub-Inspector Nurul Islam, the investigating officer from Raipur Police Station, confirmed that a case was lodged against five named suspects and six unidentified individuals. He stated that Riad Hasan Boyati was detained from the Denayetpur area after initial findings confirmed his direct involvement in orchestrating the hostage situation, and he is being forwarded to court.

The arrest of Riad, who is a contender for the post of president of Raipur Municipal Krishak Dal and a former Chhatra Dal leader, has sparked widespread discussion in the area. Local residents have demanded strict punishment regardless of political affiliations, while law enforcement authorities confirmed ongoing operations to apprehend the remaining suspects.