Two local BNP leaders have been accused of abducting a man and torturing him in Patuakhali's Bauphal upazila. Police rescued the victim on Thursday afternoon after receiving a call through the national emergency service 999.

The victim, Md Nasir Uddin Mridha, 40, is a resident of Char Algi village in the upazila.

The accused are Md Ali Azam Chowdhury, a member of the Bauphal upazila BNP and president of Daspara union BNP, and Md Masum Billah Palash, joint general secretary of the Bauphal municipality BNP.

According to the victim and his relatives, Nasir went to the Patuakhali court on Thursday morning to attend a hearing in a family dispute case. After the hearing, at around 1:15pm, he reached the Hetalia launch ghat embankment area, where a man asked for his identity. After he identified himself, the man allegedly snatched his mobile phone.

They alleged that a group of 15 to 20 people, led by Ali Azam Chowdhury, then surrounded him and demanded to know the whereabouts of Daspara Union Parishad Chairman ANM Jahangir Hossain. When he said he did not know, the group allegedly forced him onto a motorcycle and took him to Bauphal.

According to the allegations, he was then taken to the personal office of Masum Billah Palash near Engineer Faruk Talukder Women's College, where he was tied up and beaten. Police later rescued him at around 3:30pm after being alerted through the 999 service.

Nasir also alleged that the abductors forcibly transferred Tk 3,000 from his bKash account and took Tk 3,500 in cash that he was carrying.

Local sources said Ali Azam Chowdhury has been at odds with Jahangir Hossain over control of the union parishad. They said Nasir is a supporter of the chairman.

Denying the allegations, Ali Azam said, "Nasir Uddin is a drug trader. I have no involvement in any abduction."

The other accused, Masum Billah Palash, also denied the allegations, saying he had no connection with the incident.

Bauphal Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Sirajul Islam confirmed the rescue.

"As the incident originated within the jurisdiction of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, legal action will be taken through the concerned police station after consultation with the higher authorities," he said.