Teknaf in fear of kidnapping: Ransom the only way to release

Cox's Bazar, with its unique landscape, presents a spectacle of nature like no other. However, the hilly area of Teknaf, the last upazila of the border, has become a haven for criminals. Deep within the mountains, the criminals have erected their formidable and impenetrable stronghold.

A recent information stated that in the past week alone, at least 13 farmers have been abducted from the Hoaikhyang and Nhilakhali hills in Teknaf. All of them have been forced to pay a ransom to secure their release and return to normal life. The impoverished and helpless farmer families who fell victim to these abductions are struggling to pay the ransom money for their freedom.

Those who residing in the foothills of Teknaf are living their days under the shadow of abduction terror. They lament the lack of effective measures taken by the administration, which is exacerbating the situation day by day, making it even more perilous, alleged locals.

Wishing anonymity, a person who was abducted a year ago said that while working in the fields, he and his son were seized by the abductors. They were subjected to inhumane torture. Eventually, unable to endure the torture, he paid six lakh taka to the kidnappers for their release. However, the scars of that torture still linger, as medical bills amounting to thousands of taka are being incurred for treatment. To gather the ransom and medical expenses, the entire family is forced to endure various hardships.

The mother of a recent kidnapping victim, Nabi, (not his real name) said that despite informing the police about the abduction, they did not provide any assistance. Instead, after securing the release of her son by paying ransom, police took her son under the pretext of taking him to see a doctor.

Rashid Ahmed (not his real name) expressed his frustration, stating, "Even after the abduction, ransom demands were made to the family members, and if delayed, it led to further abuse."

He lamented, "The criminals are still at large. No arrests have been made, not even by the law enforcement agencies."
Mohammad Osman Gani, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, said they initiate operations after each abduction incident, but none of the rescued individuals were given any ransom.

On the other hand, expressing their helplessness, Chairman of Hnila Union Parishad Rashed Mohammad Ali said, "Everyone who gets abducted is released only after paying ransom, and such incidents have been occurring frequently lately. Some local residents and Rohingya refugees seem to be involved in these crimes."

He further emphasised the need for a joint operation of law enforcement agencies, stating that "The hills of Teknaf have become dangerous for abductors. Conducting regular operations with joint forces, rather than sporadic ones, is necessary to apprehend them."

Why so many kidnappings?

The increase in kidnappings in Cox's Bazar district since 2020 has been attributed to a major overhaul in the police administration. Many believe that due to the weakened resources of the police, it is taking considerable time to identify new suspects.

Local journalist Sourav Deb said "The criminals mostly evade arrest since the police primarily release them after they pay ransom to the families of the abducted individuals under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure."

He further added, "There is no progress seen in the investigation afterward. Since there is no progress in the case, the criminals continue to roam freely, which is very disturbing as citizens do not feel supported by the law enforcement agencies."

However, another perspective was mentioned by a senior official from Teknaf Police Station, who indicated that the Teknaf region is infamous for drug trafficking, and many kidnappings occur in connection with drug-related activities. The kidnappers often use mobile numbers registered under common local names from various districts of Bangladesh, making it challenging to identify them. However, recent kidnapping incidents do not seem to be drug-related.

Local representative Rashed Mohammad Ali said in the Rohingya-dominated areas, local criminals easily collaborate with Rohingya refugees, and some active criminal networks among the Rohingya community collaborate with local criminal networks, leading to these kidnapping incidents. This has become a regular occurrence in Teknaf.

Notably, despite the police administration being unable to provide accurate information, according to media reports, there have been 120 kidnapping incidents in the Teknaf region alone in the last year. Most of them have been returned to normal life after paying ransom.