2 tourists, local guide ‘abducted’ in Rangamati of Bangladesh

Two tourists and their local guide were reportedly abducted by armed men at Bilaichhari upazila in Rangamati on Saturday.

The tourists are Jubayer, 26, and Munna, 34, from Dhaka, and their guide Mangsai Mro, 30, from Ruma upazila of Bandarban, said Manzurul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bilaichhari Police Station.

“The three were abducted on October 3 when they reached Raingkhyong Lake area in the upazila from Bandarban's Ruma,” the OC said, quoting locals.

Athu Mong Marma, chairman of Borotholi Union Parishad, said a gang of seven armed men, after abducting the three, took them to Bilaichhari's remote Sapru Para, near the borders with India, around 6:00pm on Saturday.

They then forced two villagers -- Rabiha Tripura, 35, and Mohindra Tripura, 40, of Sapru Para -- to go with them.

“The abductors told them [the villagers] to lead to the border area. Upon reaching the border, the kidnappers released Rabiha and Mohindra. However, they did not release the tourists and their guide,” said the UP chairman.

The criminals might be the members of “Arakan Army”, he said.

“The men were wearing uniforms similar to the army and speaking Myanmar language,” he said, quoting Rabiha and Mohindra.

The kidnappers did not claim any responsibility for the abduction until now, said local representatives and police.

Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of police in Bandarban, said the army and police launched an operation to rescue the abductees.

On August 26, Arakan Army, a Myanmar separatist group, opened fire on a patrol team of the Border Guard Bangladesh at Boro Modok area under Thanchi upazila of Bandarban, leaving a BGB nayek injured.