Unidentified miscreants reportedly abducted two technicians on Saturday afternoon at Maurkhil in Khagrachhari鈥檚 Manikchhari upazila when they were repairing a damaged tower of mobile network operator Robi Axiata Limited.
Witnesses said that several motorcyclists arriving at the spot swooped on them and forcibly took them away on their motorcycles. The incident happened within minutes.聽
Manikchhari police officer-in-charge Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan said that they heard from people that miscreants abducted two technicians.
鈥楻obi authorities are yet to inform the police or local administration. It is very difficult to verify. We are looking into the matter,鈥� the OC added.
On January 22, miscreants set fire to and vandalised eight Robi mobile towers.
Joint forces, meanwhile, have yet to rescue the five Chittagong University students of different national minority communities, kidnapped on April 16.
The police said that the joint forces, including the police, Border Guard Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Army, reinforced their efforts to recover the abducted students.
The students were allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint from Giriphul area about 6:30am when they were travelling on a three-wheeler to Khagrachhari Sadar from Kukichhara.聽
The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti鈥檚 student wing Parbatya Chattogram Pahari Chhatra Parishad blamed the United People鈥檚 Democratic Front for their abduction.聽
The UPDF denied the allegations.
The abducted students, all belonging to the university鈥檚 2023鈥�24 academic year, are faculty of fine arts students Aldrin Tripura and Maitrimoy Chakma, dramatics student Dibbi Chakma, international relations student Rishan Chakma, also a PCP member of CU unit, and zoology student Longi Mro.
Khagrachhari district superintendent of police Md Arefin Jewel said that joint forces were yet to find out the five CU students but operations were underway.
Asked about the allegations of harassing hill people in the name of operation, the officer said that they strengthened the rescue operations and set up more check-points.
鈥業t is completely false that joint forces are harassing general people,鈥� he added.
Students from various national minority communities staged a protest rally in Khagrachhari on Sunday, demanding the release of the five abducted students, United News of Bangladesh reported.
They also demanded justice for the recent rape of a girl of a national minority community in Rangamati鈥檚 Kaukhali upazila.
Under the banner of 鈥楰hagrachhari Adibasi Chhatra Samaj鈥�, the demonstrators started marching from Chengi Square and through Shapla Chattar and Adalat Road to end in front of the court premises.
