Nine workers abducted in Bandarban

Nine labourers were abducted from a tobacco field in the Luline area of Lama upazila in Bandarban early on Monday.

Bandarban Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Abdul Karim confirmed that the abduction took place around 3:00am.

However, their identities have not yet been confirmed.

Citing information from locals, the police official said that a rescue operation was underway, and efforts were being made to ensure the safe and healthy return of all the workers.

According to locals, the workers were staying overnight at a farmhouse after finishing work in the tobacco fields in Luline. Armed miscreants stormed into the house and abducted them at gunpoint.

Since the area is extremely remote and lacks mobile network coverage, news of the abduction only came to light yesterday morning. The incident was then reported to Lama Police Station, the locals added.

Lama Police Station's Officer-in-charge Tofazzal Hossain said that a joint rescue operation by the army and police has been ongoing since the abduction.

On February 1, a similar incident occurred in the same area, where seven woodcutters were abducted during the night. They were later released after a ransom of Tk 8 lakh was paid.