Sohel Kanti Nath, Bandarban

Two days after the kidnapping, 25 rubber workers kidnapped in Lama were released on ransom. They were rescued from Eidgarh jungle in Baishari union of Naikshongchhari upazila on Tuesday (February 18) morning.

The released workers were severely beaten and were admitted to a local hospital in their injured condition.

Police and locals said that the terrorists released 25 workers kidnapped from 6 rubber plantations on Tuesday morning. All of them were admitted to the hospital after being severely beaten. However, the rubber plantation owners said that a ransom of 1 million taka was paid to release the workers.

Rubber plantation owner Md. Forkan said that the workers were released in exchange for ransom after seeing no progress in the operation by the law enforcement agencies. He also said that a total of 10 lakh taka was paid to free 12 workers from the garden and 7 lakh taka to free 14 workers from the remaining 5 gardens. He also said that the hostages were beaten up badly. After being rescued, 12 people from his garden are now being treated at Eidgaon Upazila Hospital in Cox's Bazar district. The rest are being treated at various hospitals including Cox's Bazar and Ramu. The rescued workers are Md. Faruk (26), Md. Ayub Ali (26), Md. Siddiq (40), Md. Abdul Khalek (20), and Abdul Majed (17), all residents of Kangar Beel area of Baishari Union in Naikshangchhari upazila. The victims are Monirul Islam (30), Mobarak (25), Md. Harun (30), Ramiz Uddin (30), Syed Nur (28), Md. Kaiser (38), Md. Monir Hossain (35), Md. Imran (17), residents of Alikhong area of Naikshongchhari upazila. Manjur (30), Afsar Ali (25), Khairul Amin (30), Abu Bakkar (29), Md. Abdur Razzak (33) and Mubin (25) of Idgar union of Cox's Bazar district. The names of the other six abducted workers have not been found. They are all rubber plantation owners Md. Forkan Ahmed (48), Nur Mohammad (32), Ahsan Ullah (35), Md. Humayun (45), Azizul Haque (38) and Abul Kalam (28) located in Murung Jhiri area of Phansiakhali union.

Bandarban District Additional Superintendent of Police Abdul Karim said, the terrorists have released the kidnapped workers. They were released due to the operation of the law enforcement agencies and the owners' communication in various ways. We do not have any information about the release of the fifteen.

It is mentioned that on February 16, terrorists kidnapped 26 workers at gunpoint from the Murung Jhiri area of Phansiakhali Union in Lama Upazila.