The family of 32-year-old teacher Abul Kasim says it received a photograph and video of him after his disappearance, along with a demand for Tk 150,000 for his release.
by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, 25 August 2026: The family of a Rohingya teacher who went missing from Camp 20 says suspected kidnappers have contacted them with a ransom demand, raising fears for his safety.
Abul Kasim, 32, works as a teacher at a CODEC Learning Centre in the Rohingya camps.
According to his family, he was last seen at around 4:00 p.m. on August 20 after leaving the learning centre.
His relatives said they subsequently received a photograph and video showing Abul Kasim from people they believe are holding him.
The family said the suspected kidnappers initially demanded Tk 500,000 for his release before reducing the amount to Tk 150,000.
Rohingya Khobor has not independently verified who sent the photograph and video or whether Abul Kasim is being held by the people who made the ransom demand.
The family is deeply concerned about his condition and has appealed for authorities and community representatives to act quickly to locate him and secure his safe return.
They said their appeal is not a request for public donations but an effort to draw attention to his disappearance and encourage a rapid response.
The case has also renewed concerns among Rohingya residents over how families can seek immediate protection and assistance when someone disappears or is suspected of having been abducted inside the camps.
For Abul Kasim’s family, however, the immediate priority is finding him alive and bringing him home safely.
As of publication, Rohingya Khobor had not independently obtained a statement from police, APBn, the Camp-in-Charge office or CODEC confirming the circumstances of his disappearance or any investigation into the alleged ransom demand.
