Bandarban abductions: One worker escapes captivity

One of the 25 plantation workers, who were abducted by unknown people from various rubber plantations in Fasiakhali area of Bandarban's Lama upazila on Sunday, managed to escape last morning.

Meanwhile, joint forces have started an operation to rescue the abductees.

Ziaur Rahman fled by dodging the abductors' eyes and informed the authorities, said police.

The kidnappers were constantly changing their locations with the abductees, said Lama Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahadat Hossain, quoting Ziaur.

The OC, quoting him, said there were at least 12 to 14 suspected abductors and all of them were armed.

He also said rubber garden officials claimed that they received ransom letters from the abductors.

However, at a press briefing in Dhaka today, Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the Directorate of Military Operations at the Army Headquarters, said they had seen media reports that 22 or 26 rubber plantation workers were abducted in Bandarban.

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Rubber plantations: 25 workers abducted in Bandarban

"The actual number appears to be 20 workers, who were taken by a criminal group demanding ransom. Ongoing patrols are working to rescue them," he said.

Locals said the abducted workers are residents of Ramu and Eidgah in Cox's Bazar district and Naikhongchhari in Bandarban.

On Sunday, 25 rubber garden workers were abducted by unknown people from various plantations in the Goyalmara area of Fasiakhali around 10:00am, according to locals and garden owners.

Earlier on January 14, three workers were abducted and on February 1, seven lumberjacks were reportedly abducted from Bandarban's Lama upazila, according to media reports.

The abducted individuals were later released after paying a ransom.