Police arrested one of the kidnappers, Imdadul Haq, teacher of local Itakhola Technical Institute and son of Amzad Hossain of Pachuil village in Khetlal, Joypurhat. But another kidnapper named Mamunur Rashid managed to escape the dragnet.

"My children are okay and will return home this night," a visibly elated Salma Begum, mother of the pair, told The Daily Star after the rescue.

The family said the boys were about to be smuggled out of the country, which the rescuer policemen however could not confirm.

Moktar, whom the children addressed as uncle, with his accomplices abducted the two brothers after they came out of their school, Baikalik Cadet Academy, at Moinartek in Uttara Monday afternoon. Sajib is a student of class three and his younger brother Sabbir of class one.

THE RESCUE
Tipped off that two boys were being kept in custody of Imdadul Haq, a contingent of Dupchachia police of Bogra arrested him at Itakhola Technical Institute, where he teaches, yesterday noon.

Imdad confessed to abducting the boys and disclosed the name of Mamunur Rashid as his accomplice.

Acting on his confession, police later rescued the children from the house of Abdul Wahab, an activist of ruling alliance leader BNP, in Mitna village.

Hundreds of people thronged in front of Dupchachia Police Station after news of their rescue spread around.

Police seized a microbus used to abduct and take the boys from Uttara, but failed to arrest its driver Babul and Imdad's accomplice Mamun.

Mamun, son of Abdur Rahim of Khalishagari village of Khetlal, is also a teacher of Itakhali Technical Institute.

TALE OF ABDUCTION
"As Sabbir and Sajib came out of their school at Moinartek in Utatra Monday afternoon, Mamun introduced himself as an uncle of them and said their grandfather and uncle were waiting for them at Nandan Park in Gazipur," Imdad told police.

As the two boys boarded the microbus, in which Imdad was sitting, the abductors gave them some juice mixed with sleeping pills to drink. Police said the boys got into the vehicle only after seeing Moktar present with Mamun.

"We brought them first to a house at Chawkpara in Dupchachia and shifted later to Mitna village in Joypurhat," Imdad said.

From Mitna, they phoned to Sabbir-Sajib's house and demanded Tk 10 lakh as ransom, he confessed.

JOY IS HERS
After Sajib and Sabbir were brought to Dupchachia Police Station, police phoned to the boys' house at 4pm yesterday to confirm their identity.

"As I heard their voice, the belief that God does save the faithful returned to my mind," said Salma.

Their father Daud Ali Biswas called from Japan, where he has been living for the last five years. Other relatives also talked with them over phone.

"They said they ate fish and meat at the police station and said they will see me in a short while," the mother said. "At the moment, no-one is happier than me."

A team of Uttara police led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Abul Monsur, who is investigating the case, and Sabbir-Sajib's uncle Babul Akhter, grandfather Akkel Ali Biswas and granduncle Idris Ali started for Dupchachia at 4:15pm to bring the children back home.

TRAITOR NABBED
After Babul Akhter filed a case with Uttara Police Station Monday night, police raided different places in Uttara looking for Moktar and finally nabbed him in Tongi at 9:30 Wednesday night.

The boys' family said Moktar, a youth from their village Amtoli under Sreepur upazila in Magura, used to frequent their house and stay overnight. He is a drug addict and asked them for money on many occasions. A few days ago, Moktar asked Salma for photographs of Sabbir and Sajib, saying some of his friends want to see those, but Salma declined suspecting his motive.

Moktar confessed to police that the boys were in custody of Imdad, Shamim, Alamgir and Rubel of 'Bhaista Group', a criminal gang operating in Tongi.

"He handed over the boys to Bhaista Group and I think he had a deal with the group for a share of the ransom," said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Uttara) Meer Ashraf Ali.

Acting on Moktar's information, police raided some points at Shafiuddin Sarker Road, Tongi College Gate residential area, Tongi Station Road, Banker Math Road and Cherag Ali in Tongi and Mogorkhal area in Gazipur in vain.

SI Monsur said Moktar and the Tongi criminals are part of a crime syndicate operating across the country and Moktar's assignment was to pick the boys and hand them over to fellow operatives.

Police yesterday produced Moktar before the chief metropolitan magistrate's court of Dhaka with a 10-day remand petition. The court granted a remand for four days.

TRADER RESCUE
A gang abducted Mohammad Manik, a manpower recruiting agent, from in front of Motijheel Police Station at around 7pm Tuesday and took to Allama Kashgari Hostel of Aliya Madrasa in Bakhshibazar in the capital.

Tracing a negotiator of the abductors, police on Wednesday arrested Shahadat Hossain Sohel, assistant general secretary of Allama Kashgari Hostel unit of BNP's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, and Nazrul Islam Jewel and Mofazzal Hossain Rubel, activists of BNP's youth front Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, at Gulistan.

Police later rescued the businessman from Aliya Madrasa hostel in an operation during which the abductors roughed them up, tore their uniform apart and smashed a wireless set.