Security forces began raiding the forest to rescue four bridge construction workers who were abducted, allegedly for extortion, from Bangmara under Matiranga upazila in Khagrachhari on Sunday night.
“We have raided several spots deep in the forest in collaboration with the army over the last two days, but no one had been rescued by the afternoon [yesterday],” said Mohammad Mainuddin Khan, officer-in-charge at Matiranga police station.
“We have also engaged intelligence forces to find out clues regarding the whereabouts of the abducted workers,” he said, adding that no case had been filed with them yet.
Earlier, on Sunday night, bulldozer driver Faruq Ahmed, 25, helper Mohammad Hasan, 24, from Feni, helper Raju Ahmed, 22 from Mymensingh and Liakat Ali, 40, from Chittagong were abducted, allegedly by the cadres of United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) at gun point. They had then been taken deep into the forest in the hilly district.
UPDF Press Secretary Niron Chakma, however, denied their involvement in the abduction and said the UPDF believes in democracy, not in abductions.
Meanwhile yesterday, Joint Secretary of Parbattya Chattagram Bangali Chhatra Parishad (PBCP) Engineer Abdul Mazid condemned the abduction of the four Bangali workers and demanded their immediate release.
He also threatened the government with tougher movements, including road blockades and hartals if Bangali workers are not released by today.
