The Independent, 19 October 2003
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/oct/19/19102003cr.htm#A2
ABU TAHER MUHAMMAD
Ethnic terrorists abducted five hill contractors on Friday night when they were returning home from worksite.
Of the five abducted men, three were later released but two are still in the grip of the kidnappers. The missing two are Batayan Dewan and Ra Pru Chai Marma, according to sources.
Police and local sources said the businessmen were abducted for non-payment of toll money for a long time. Tk three lakh was demanded as ransom for the kidnapped contractors.
Meantime, United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) has charged that five members of Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) were involved in the abduction.
The kidnapped Batayan Dewan is the younger brother of former Khagrachhari District Council chairman Samiran Dewan.
It is reported that Ethnic Contractors’ Welfare Association (ECWA) has taken initiatives for release of the abducted contractors. Police and Army are cooperating in the process.
Meantime, Santosh Marma and Hemanta Chakma, two other kidnapped contractors from Naikhkhang Chhari, were released last Thursday two days after their abduction.
In a joint drive, Army and police yesterday arrested six dacoits with jewellery, mobile phones and cash worth about Taka three lakh.
The arrested dacoits are Yousuf (20), Abul Kashem (21), Badiul Alam (30), Lokman (25), Yousuf Ali (30) and Hassan (25).
Army and police arrested them from a jeep car at Nayabazar on the Manickchhari-Chittagong Highway. Major Farooque of Luxmichhari zone led the operation.
Later the army recovered around 60 liters of liquor from another jeep.