BGB rescues 14 kidnapping victims from Teknaf hideout

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has rescued 14 people during a special raid on a hideout of kidnappers in Teknaf upazila's Sadar union in Cox's Bazar.

Lt Col Ashiqur Rahman, commanding officer of 2-BGB Teknaf Battalion, said a special patrol team conducted the raid late Saturday night in the South Lombori area and rescued the 14 individuals.

The operation targeted the secret hideout of one Md Saiful Islam, 39, of Lengurbil village in Teknaf, who BGB suspects to be the ring leader of the syndicate.

According to BGB, the victims were lured to Teknaf by a trafficking syndicate using local brokers with promises of jobs abroad. They were later taken from different areas of Teknaf and the Marine Drive and held captive in a remote location.

The kidnappers tortured the victims, filmed it, and sent the videos to their families demanding ransom.

All 14 victims were rescued unharmed. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the victims were residents of different districts of the country, said the BGB officer.

Till the filing of the report at 7:00pm today, no arrests were made in this connection.

Police are conducting drives in Teknaf alongside the BGB to arrest the perpetrators, said Lt Col Ashiqur.

A case was filed with Teknaf Model Police Station, he added.

Earlier, a BGB team attempted to intercept Md Saiful Islam and his associates during a human trafficking attempt via the deep sea to Myanmar from Bangladesh on April 24.

Though the traffickers managed to escape during the chase, several victims were rescued.

Later, a case was filed with Teknaf Model Police Station at the time against the traffickers over human and drug trafficking.