Cox’s Bazar Correspondent: 19 people have been missing for one and a half months in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, according to the victim’s family. So far no accurate information about them has been found. Among the missing are school and college students.
The missing persons are – Abdul Karim (19), Jahangir Alam (14), Ward No. 5 of Haikong Union Jhimongkhali, Teknaf. Arman (16), Shamsu Alam (20), Md. Riduan (12) and No. 4 Ward Laturikhola area. Riduan (16), Shah Alam (22), Rahmat Ullah (18), Abdul Quader (30), Nur Ahmad (25), Md. Ibrahim (20), Kamal Hossain (16), Jasim (30), Belal Hossain (18), Md. Zubair (20), Zafar Ali (30), Haider Ali (25), Abul Bashar (40) and Kamal Hossain (18).
Missing md. Riduan’s mother Asma Akhter (36) said that on October 20, Riduan left the house saying that he was going to school. After that he never came back home. A week later he got a call that brokers were holding him for smuggling in Malaysia. After listening to his advice, I sold gold and borrowed money from people and sent one lakh taka step by step through development. But after that I did not get any news.
Achia Khatun, wife of missing Abul Bashar, said that her husband Abul Bashar used to sell clothes in different areas of Teknaf. As usual, on October 20, he left home to sell clothes and did not return. Five days later the missing husband called home asking for money to go to Malaysia. According to the husband, I collected 1 lakh 20 thousand rupees and sent the money to the Bikash number given by the broker. After that I did not find any more of him. However, after a month and a half, it was reported that Abul Bashar’s picture was seen in a joint picture on a Facebook ID written in Myanmar language. But it is not clearly understood anywhere.
Other victimized families say that many have left their homes without the family’s knowledge after being cheated by the brokers and disappeared. However, considering the well-being of the missing, some of the relatives have given Tk 50,000, some Tk 100,000 and some Tk 120,000 to the brokers, the victims’ families said.
However, some families of the victims Teknaf upazila executive officer (UNO) Md. Kamruzzaman also submitted the application.
In this regard, Chairman of Hoikong Union Parishad (UP) Noor Ahmad Anwari said that many youths including school and college students from different areas of Hoikong Union have been victims of human trafficking in the clutches of brokers. Many people are missing. And many are in prisons in Myanmar, I learned through family members of the victims.
UNO in this regard. Kamruzzaman said, I have received some applications from the families of victims of human trafficking. We will review the papers and send them to the concerned department.
UNO said that action will be taken against the brokers involved in the incident if they get the correct information.
