The Special Response Battalion (SRB-3) has arrested two alleged members of an online fraud ring accused of staging fake kidnappings, imitating victims' voices and extorting money from their families.
The arrestees were identified as the alleged mastermind, Md Faisal Ahmed, 31, and his associate, Md Al-Amin, 33. Faisal was arrested in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka, while Al-Amin was detained in Demra. Digital evidence was also recovered during separate operations.
According to an SRB-3 press release, the arrests followed an investigation into the alleged kidnapping of a 25-year-old youth, Hridoyan Ansari, who was reportedly travelling from Gazipur to Moghbazar in Dhaka.
The victim's family received a phone call from an unidentified number claiming that he had been abducted. The callers demanded Tk 50,000 as ransom for his release.
Following the instructions of the callers, family members sent Tk 40,000 through several bKash and Nagad accounts. However, they failed to establish the victim's whereabouts and subsequently informed law enforcement agencies.
Acting on information obtained from the mobile financial service accounts and transaction records, SRB-3 launched a covert investigation. On October 28, 2026, an operation in Jatrabari led to the detention of individuals linked to a bKash outlet and the mobile number used to demand the ransom.
During the investigation, officers learned that the mobile phone associated with the number had reportedly been lost on October 5, 2026. Further technological analysis helped identify and arrest the two alleged members of the fraud ring.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly admitted to targeting families through Facebook posts seeking information about missing persons. They allegedly contacted the families, demanded ransom and collected money through bKash and Nagad accounts.
Although the suspects did not have the victims in their custody, Al-Amin allegedly imitated the victims' voices whenever family members wanted to speak with them. He reportedly told relatives that he was being beaten and physically tortured, creating panic and pressuring them to pay money.
An analysis of mobile financial service transactions linked to the suspects' phone numbers reportedly corroborated the allegations.
The battalion also said that a review of the suspects' police records revealed multiple kidnapping cases and general diaries registered against them at different police stations.
SRB-3 urged the public to contact the nearest law enforcement agency if they encounter similar situations rather than making payments based solely on suspicious phone calls.
It also advised people to file a general diary or case with the police immediately if their mobile phones are lost or stolen and to deactivate the SIM cards used in those devices.
The battalion warned that criminals could use lost SIM cards to open new mobile financial service accounts, including bKash and Nagad, to conduct online fraud. In such cases, the registered SIM owners could potentially face legal complications even if they were not directly involved in the crimes.
Legal action has been taken against the arrested individuals, the press release added.
