Ukhiya, Nov 07 (V7N) – Joint forces have rescued 56 people, including Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya refugees, from a human trafficking hideout in the remote hills of Rangikhali in Hnila Union of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. Six suspected members of the trafficking gang were arrested during the operation.

An army soldier was killed in an exchange of gunfire with armed traffickers during the operation, which began on Thursday afternoon. In protest over his death, the BNP held separate demonstrations in Ukhiya and Teknaf on Friday afternoon.

The rescued individuals, all men, were handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station on Friday morning.

According to joint force sources, a special anti-trafficking operation was launched in the remote hills of Rangikhali on Thursday afternoon. During the operation, armed members of the trafficking gang opened fire on the joint forces, injuring Army soldier Titas Sheikh, 27.

He was shot near the shoulder. After receiving initial treatment from a local medical officer, he was taken by ambulance to Ramu Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for advanced treatment. However, he died on the way.

Titas was the son of Afzal Hossain of Laskardia Union in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur. He served with the Army’s 1 Bir unit and was posted at the Rangikhali Army Camp in Teknaf. His service number was 4519517, and he had been serving in the Army for nearly nine years.

During the operation, security personnel seized two mobile phones, three national identity cards, two locally made sharp weapons, four rounds of ammunition, one locally made pistol and one single-barrel gun from the six arrested suspects. Their identities were not immediately disclosed.

Man Held for Eight Days in Hill Hideout

Among those rescued was Asaduzzaman, a resident of Faridpur, who said he had been held captive for eight days in a makeshift hut at the traffickers’ hill hideout. He said he had tried to escape twice but failed.

Speaking in tears while in police custody on Friday, he said, “The traffickers kept me confined in a small hut in the hills for eight days. I tried to escape twice but could not. There were 40 to 50 armed guards in the hills.”

Asaduzzaman said he had become acquainted with a man named Imam ul, from the Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, while working at a bridge in Cox’s Bazar. Their relationship developed over time, and he was later lured with the promise of a job at the camp.

He said he was called to the area eight days earlier, after which his mobile phone and other belongings were taken away. He was then transported by a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw to the hills at night and handed over to the trafficking gang.

At the hideout, he found more than 50 other people being held captive and realised he had fallen into a human trafficking network.

He said preparations were underway two days earlier to take some captives by boat through a sea route. He was among six people selected for the journey, but was not taken because there was insufficient space on the boat.

He added that the traffickers had planned to send them by sea on Thursday, but joint forces arrived before the plan could be carried out.

Two Men Allegedly Sold for Tk 1 Lakh

Two other rescued men, identified as Md Saiful and Mizanur Rahman Sagor, residents of Cheptakhali in Ukhiya, alleged that a broker named Nurali had handed them over to the traffickers after promising them jobs.

They said they later learned from members of the trafficking gang that the two of them had been bought for Tk 1 lakh.

“We saw four or five new people being brought to the hideout every day over five days. Anyone who tried to speak was beaten severely. We were also beaten when we attempted to escape. Later, they tied us up with iron chains,” they alleged.

They said the captives were given food only twice a day, consisting of raw pumpkin and lentils. They were scheduled to be taken by boat and trafficked through a sea route on Thursday, but were rescued before the journey began.

Other rescued individuals alleged that they had been lured from different areas with promises of employment and taken to the hill hideout, where they were confined, beaten and tortured. The traffickers allegedly attempted to extort ransom from their families, while some captives were kept in chains.

BNP Protests Soldier’s Death

The BNP held separate protest marches and rallies in Ukhiya and Teknaf on Friday afternoon, condemning the killing of the army soldier.

In Ukhiya, the upazila BNP organised a procession at Ukhiya Station, followed by a brief rally. Speakers included Upazila BNP President and former upazila chairman Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury, General Secretary Sultan Mahmud Chowdhury, Upazila Jubo Dal Convener Saidul Sikdar, and Upazila Chhatra Dal President Riduanur Rahman and General Secretary Ziaul Karim Riad.

In Teknaf, the upazila BNP held a separate procession and protest rally at Teknaf Sadar Station. Speakers included Upazila BNP President Advocate Hasan Siddique, General Secretary Shahadat Hossain, Teknaf Municipal BNP Convener Abdur Razzak and Enamul Haque.

The speakers described the killing of a soldier on duty as deeply condemnable and alarming. They demanded the swift identification and arrest of those responsible and called for effective operations to dismantle the hideouts of armed criminals and human traffickers in the hills.

Residents Demand Sweeping Operations

Local residents said human trafficking and abduction networks had been active for years in Rangikhali and other hilly areas of Teknaf. They said gunfire could frequently be heard in the hills and that armed criminal groups had created an atmosphere of insecurity.

Nur Alam, a resident of Hnila, called for coordinated and intensive operations to dismantle the trafficking networks.

“Unless sweeping operations are conducted, it will not be possible to break the powerful networks of human traffickers. Gunfire can be heard in the hills almost every day. Armed traffickers have made the entire area unsafe,” he said.

He alleged that armed groups had established hideouts in the hills of Baharchhara, Hnila and Whykong and called for coordinated action to dismantle them.

Mohammad Ali, acting chairman of Hnila Union Parishad, said the activities of armed groups in the hills were increasing, particularly during the winter trafficking season.

He described the killing of the army soldier during the operation as a serious incident and said ordinary residents felt helpless in the face of armed criminals. He also called for intensive operations in the hills.

Police and Administration

Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saiful Islam said the 56 rescued individuals had been handed over to the police station and that their identities and other details were being verified.

He said legal procedures were underway following the death of the army soldier during the operation.

The OC clarified that 57 hostages had initially been reported rescued. However, subsequent verification found that one of them was a broker among the captives, bringing the confirmed number of rescued victims to 56.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Anik Chowdhury said law enforcement agencies were working to arrest the armed human traffickers operating in the hills. He said no one involved in criminal activities would be allowed to escape accountability.

END/MSI/SMA/