Forest bandits kidnapped five fishermen at gunpoint from the coastal Khalkhali canal in the Sundarbans, demanding ransom.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon.
While three of the five fishermen were freed after paying the demanded ransom, two are still being held.
The two remaining abducted fishermen are Mofijur Rahman, 33, from Shyamnagar in Satkhira, and Mrinal Sardar, 30, from Koyra in Khulna.
The fishermen who paid the ransom are Joydeb, Mukul and Rezaul, each from different villages in Shyamnagar.
Abdur Rahim, a fisherman who escaped from the Sundarbans, recounted that they had gone to catch crabs two days earlier. He said that they were held captive by four armed men near the Khalkhali and Chhunkuri rivers on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
After receiving Tk 10, 000 for each as ransom, the bandits released three fishermen, he said.
Another fisherman, Abul Basar, said that the kidnappers were armed with two single-barreled guns and used sticks to beat the captives immediately upon capture.
Hasanur Rahman, Assistant Forest Conservator of Satkhira range, noted that no formal complaints have been made regarding the kidnapping or ransom incidents, but he confirmed they learned about it through media reports.
Shyamnagar Police Station’s Inspector (investigation) Fakir Taijur Rahman informed that no written complaints have been filed by the families of the kidnapped fishermen thus far.
(Source:UNB)
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