The missing child, Md Habibullah Nayeem, disappeared at around 5:15 pm on Thursday from his family’s rented apartment on Kuritola School Road in Ward 17 of Khilkhet. Nayeem is the son of Md Babul Islam and Mst Sharifa Khatun, whose permanent residence is in Hajna Natore village within Natore’s Naldanga upazila. The family currently resides in Dhaka.

According to Nayeem’s uncle, Golam Hossain, the boy got into a minor dispute with his six-year-old brother, Adil, on Thursday afternoon. After his mother scolded him over the quarrel, a distressed Nayeem stormed out of the house. When he failed to return as evening approached, anxious family members launched a search across the neighbourhood and contacted relatives, but found no trace of him. A mobile phone in Nayeem’s possession was also switched off.

Following his disappearance, Sharifa Khatun filed a General Diary (GD) with Khilkhet Police Station. The family also submitted formal requests for assistance to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Detective Branch (DB) of police.

The situation escalated dramatically at around 2:30 am on Friday when an unidentified individual phoned the family. In the brief call, the caller claimed that Nayeem was in their custody, whilst the sound of the boy crying could be heard in the background. The caller stated that Nayeem was being subjected to physical torture and locked inside a bathroom, mentioning a location near “Haji Bari Camp Area” before abruptly hanging up. Subsequent attempts by the family to call the number back failed as the phone was switched off.

Md Sohrab Al Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Khilkhet Police Station, confirmed that a General Diary has been logged and that law enforcement teams are actively working to track down the boy, using digital technology to trace the location of the incoming call.