18 abducted forest workers rescued in Teknaf

The 18 forest workers, who were abducted in Teknaf, have been rescued from the remote hills of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar on Tuesday.

The rescued individuals include Saiful Islam, 22, Syed, 50, Rafik, Ayub Khan, 18, Ayub Ali, 50, Ansar Ullah, 18, Ayat Ullah, 22, Samsu, 45, Islam, 21, Samsu, 40, Ismail, 35, Mohammad Hashim, 40, Noor Mohammad, 21, Syed Amin, 30, Safi Ullah, 30, Ayub, 50, and Mahata Amin, 18. Two others remain unidentified. Reports indicate that some of them may be Rohingya refugees.  

Confirming the operation, Senior Assistant Director (Law and Media) of RAB-15, Kamrul Zaman, said, "The workers were abducted while working in the hills. Following their disappearance, RAB launched a rescue mission, leading to the successful recovery of 18 individuals this afternoon. Operations are still ongoing."  

The abduction occurred on Monday in the Jaliapara area of Teknaf, where armed assailants abducted 19 workers from a hilly region. The kidnappers subsequently demanded a total ransom of Tk 19 lakh from the victims' families. The incident has triggered widespread panic in the region.  

Adding to the tension, reports emerged Tuesday morning of another abduction incident where eight farmers were allegedly taken at gunpoint from the Whykong-Shamlapur road in Teknaf.  

Authorities continue to work on ensuring the safe return of all abductees and restoring calm to the area.