There have been allegations of kidnapping six workers at gunpoint in Bandarban Sadar. The incident took place in Hatirdera area of Tankabati Union of the upazila around 11 pm on Wednesday. The matter came to light later this morning. The kidnappers have demanded 2 million taka in exchange for the release of the six workers, said rubber plantation officials.
Citing eyewitnesses, the owner of the rubber plantation, Mohammad Ismail, said that there were eight workers, including two women, in the plantation. Around 11 pm, a group of armed men entered his plantation and started beating and abusing the workers. At that time, two female workers fled to the houses of neighboring people. The rest of the workers were taken hostage and kidnapped at gunpoint.
The abducted workers are Nurul Afsar, Md. Arafat, Ismail, Karim Ullah, Ramit Uddin and Md. Shakib. They are all residents of the snake-infested area of Baishari Union in Naikshongchhari Upazila.
Hatirdera area is in ward number 6 of Tonkabati Union, about 25 kilometers from the district headquarters. Several people associated with the rubber plantation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Tk 2 million over the workers’ mobile phones. They believed that the kidnappers were all hill people.
Mangyang Mro, chairman of the Tonkawati Union Parishad, said that people in the area are searching in various places to rescue the workers. It is not known who is involved in the kidnapping.
Bandarban Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahed Parvez said a police team has been sent to Rubber Bagan to investigate the kidnapping. The rescue operation will be intensified after getting details.
This is not the first incident of abduction of workers in Bandarban. Earlier, four rubber plantation workers were abducted from Baishari area of Naikshongchhari upazila of the district last Tuesday. Later, the four were rescued yesterday evening in a raid by law enforcement agencies.