Lured into lucrative job in Malaysia, criminals abduct 6 teens

Six teenagers from Chakaria upazila of Cox's Bazar have been kidnapped and held captive on the pretext of sending them to Malaysia.

The victims' relatives said that a gang has been holding them hostage for three days and demanding a ransom of Tk5 lakh from their families.

The abductees are Shaharia's Kabir Sohag, 14, Mohammad Shahid Hossain, 14, Mohammad Mahim, 13, Isadul Hossain Hamim, 15, Nurul Amin Monu, 27, and Md. Sifat, 21.

The first four of them are eighth grade students of Chakaria's Kakara Secondary School.

The victims' family members filed a written complaint with Chakaria police station on May 31 in this incident. Mohammad Yusuf, 47, his son Israk Hossain, 20, and his wife Tania Begum, residents of Kakara Union, have been accused in the complaint.

According to the complaint, on Sunday morning (May 31), the gang took four people from the South Surajpur area of ​​Surajpur Manikpur Union and two from Bamu Bilchhari Union to their hideout, promising to send them to Malaysia.

Family members further said in the complaint that for three days, the kidnappers have been holding six people hostage and have been calling from a mobile number demanding a ransom of Tk5 lakh. As a tactic to extort money, they are sending a picture of the kidnapped people on WhatsApp and threatening them in various ways.

Relatives say that the hostages are also being threatened with death if the money is not paid within the stipulated time. In this situation, the six families are extremely worried and anxious.

When asked, Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Monir Hossain said that a written complaint has been received regarding the six teenagers being held hostage and demanding money. Initially, it is believed that they left their homes after agreeing to go abroad and fell into the clutches of a broker gang.

He said that based on the complaint, the police are working to rescue the kidnapped people and arrest those involved.