Police claimed to have rescued seven people who were abducted in the hilly area of Baharchara in Teknaf.
They were rescued from the hilly area of Jahajpura village in the union on Friday afternoon.
However, the family of the abducted people demanded that they were released after paying ransom money totaling Tk3.5 lakh.
On Thursday, seven people were abducted at gunpoint from the Jahajpura village area on Thursday.
The returned abductees are Jabrul Islam, Fazal Karim, Ghiyas Uddin, Rashid Alam, Arif Ullah and Zafar Alam.
Kalim Ullah, the son of Zafar Alam, said his father was returned after paying a ransom of Tk50,000.
“The abductors had beaten my father a lot. After being rescued, he was taken by the police,” said Kalim Ullah.
Fazal Karim's wife also collaborated with Kalim Ullah's statement by saying that her husband was released after paying Tk50,000 as ransom money.
However, the police said the abductees were rescued through their rigorous operation.
Teknaf police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Halim said police were able to rescue seven abducted persons, including college students, in an operation.
“We are asking the victims about their abductors. Those involved in this incident will be found. However, I did not know about the ransom,” he said.
Baharchara Union Parishad member Md Rafiq said police were able to rescue seven people from the mountain area within 24 hours of their abductions.
“I have also heard that they were freed after paying ransom money, but there is no truth to this claim,” he said.
“As Ramadan is closing, panic has spread among the locals due to this abduction,” he added.
A total of 49 people have been abducted in Teknak in the last six months. Among them, 17 were Rohingyas and 33 were locals.
The abductors released two children eight hours after their abduction on March 3 after paying a ransom of Tk70,000.
Earlier, on January 8, four farmers were kidnapped and taken to the mountains while guarding their fields in the Lechuaprang area of the Hnila union. Later, they were released after paying a ransom of Tk15 lakh.
