2 kidnapped traders rescued from remote Ukhiya hills, 2 Rohingyas held

A swift police operation in the remote hills of Ukhiya led to the rescue of two kidnapped businessmen within 90 minutes of a distress call to the National Emergency Service 999 and the subsequent arrest of two Rohingya suspects.

The rescued individuals have been identified as Saiful Islam, 28, and Nurul Hossain, 42. 

The alleged kidnappers, Nurul Hakim, 25, and Syed Noor, 40,  – both reportedly Myanmar’s Rohingya nationals – have been taken into custody and remanded to judicial custody following a court appearance.

According to Police Inspector Anwar Sattar, Media and Public Relations Officer for the National Emergency Service 999, the incident unfolded on Tuesday evening, November 25. 

At approximately 6:30 pm, a resident of Ward 8, Chapatkhali in Dhalarmukh, Jalia Palong, Ukhia, contacted the 999 helpline to report that his two neighbours had been abducted by armed goons and were being held captive in a secluded hill near Inani. 

The kidnappers were demanding a ransom of Tk 6 lakh.

The call was received by Constable Ranjit Debnath, who immediately alerted the Ukhiya Police Station. Authorities then dispatched a patrol team from the Inani Police Outpost to the area.

Within an hour and a half, officers located the victims about 3 kilometres from the original abduction site and rescued them around 8:00 pm. The suspects fled upon spotting the police but were later apprehended based on descriptions provided by the victims.

“The rescued men were unharmed,” Inspector Sattar confirmed. “The two suspects were identified through eyewitness accounts and subsequently arrested. They have since been sent to prison on court orders.”

The case has drawn attention to security concerns in the hilly and sparsely populated areas of Ukhia, near the Bangladesh–Myanmar border. 

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional accomplices and continue their investigation.