FAISALABAD, Dec 8: It were the Chak Jhumra police that illegally detained a Bangladeshi national, general-manger of a textile mills, and his driver for one day only to `seek his help’ for the arrest of another manager of the same factory, sources told Dawn on Monday.

Reports said Chak Jhumra policemen in civvies took general-manager of the US Capital textile mills, Tarqul Islam, and his driver Aslam into custody on Saturday and drove them to the police station. They did not bother to inform even their high-ups about the arrest of a foreigner. The GM was detained at a separate room though he categorically informed the police that he was a Bangladeshi national and had done nothing wrong, but all in vain.

The GM was neither allowed to inform his colleagues nor family about his whereabouts. The police did not inform him on what charges he was taken into custody.

The registration of a case against Mr Saqib, working as export manager in the same factory where Mr Islam is GM, stirred the Chak Jhumra police for action against the criminal who was at large. Jhumra police had reportedly registered a murder case against Saqib.

Police were informed that Saqib was present in the factory and could be arrested without any hindrance. Following the information some policemen in plainclothes started watching the factory. As Mr Islam and his driver left the mills for the security branch, the sources said, the officials stopped them and brought them to the police station in the same car being driven by Mohammad Aslam, who is still in police custody.

Missing of Mr Islam and Aslam panicked the factory employees who informed the police and the media about the incident.

On Sunday, the factory employees received a phone call from an unidentified man who said the GM was in the custody of Chak Jhumra police. Subsequently the police officials were approached, but they denied the custody of the two persons.

Sources said after negotiations with the victim and relatives of the factory owner, the police had released the GM and requested him not to raise the issue of his captivity at any level. The sources quoted police as saying that Mr Islam was kept in a separate room and no one tortured him. His driver Aslam was allegedly tortured to get information about Saqib, but to no avail. Aslam had not been released so far.

A secret agency played an instrumental role in the release of the general-manager after news appeared in the media.

A senior officer said the police negligence could tarnish country’s image and affect relations with Bangladesh. He said the officials had sought pardon from Mr Islam.

Sources said the factory employees had been barred from talking to the media on the issue.

After his nearly one-day detention, the frightened Mr Islam went to the security branch in the CPO office for an exit permit as he would leave Faisalabad for Karachi at 9:30am today (Tuesday) and then for Dhaka at 2pm. Earlier, his flight was scheduled on Sunday.

The GM had been working in the mills for the last four years and obtained one-month leave to celebrate Eid with his family.