Journo Utpal missing for two weeks

Utpal Das, a senior reporter of news portal purboposhchimbd.news, has remained traceless for two weeks.

His father Chittaranjan Das, who filed a general diary (GD) with Motijheel Police Station yesterday, told The Daily Star that Utpal's cellphone had been switched off since he talked to his mother on October 10.

Utpal used to live in a mess at the capital's Fakirapool and on his way to office in Motijheel area that day.

Chittaranjan said last night he received a phone call from his son's number. The unidentified caller demanded Tk 1 lakh as ransom, he added.

However, the person did not allow him to talk to his son, said Chittaranjan. “We were passing days with fear and uncertainty,” he said and demanded a safe return of his son.

On Sunday, Khugesta Nur E Naharin, editor of the news portal, filed a GD with the same police station.

Shiblee Noman, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Motijheel Division), said they are trying to find the journalist's whereabouts.