Nineteen forest workers were allegedly abducted by unidentified miscreants while they were working in a hilly area at Hnila union of Teknaf in Cox鈥檚 Bazar Monday morning.
The incident occurred at about 10:00am in the western Jadimura area of Teknaf upazila, said Teknaf Model Police Station officer-in-charge Muhammad Gias Uddin.
He said that the police and other law enforcement agencies were working on the ground to rescue the abducted forest workers.
The abductees have been identified as Ayub Khan, 18, Ayub Ali, 50, Ansar Ullah, 18, Ayat Ullah, 22, Samsu, 45, Islam, 21, Samsul Alam, 40, Ismail, 35, Mohammad Hasim, 40, Nur Mohammad, 21, Syed Amin, 30, Safi Ullah, 30, Ayub, 50, Mahommad Amin, 18, Saiful Islam, 22, Syed, 50, and Rafiq, 33.
However, the identities of the two other abductees were yet to be confirmed till filing this report at 9:15pm.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said that the workers under the forest department were abducted while they were working in hills.
鈥楿pon receiving the information, we immediately informed law enforcement agencies. Rescue efforts are underway,鈥� he said.
Local sources said that these forest workers regularly visited the hills to carry out duties.
