Four Youths Rescued from Teknaf Kidnap Hideout

Four young men lured to Teknaf with promises of well-paid jobs have been rescued by a joint operation conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police after being held captive for three days in a remote hill hideout, where their captors allegedly attempted to extort millions of taka in ransom from their families.

Although the victims were safely recovered during Tuesday’s operation, members of the kidnapping gang managed to flee into the surrounding forest before security personnel reached the hideout. Authorities have launched a manhunt to identify and arrest those responsible.

The rescued victims have been identified as Emam Hossain, 19, and Jisan, 23, from Ganipur in Feni district, Touhidul Islam, 19, from Rampur in the same district, and Sumon Mia, also known as Hossain, 22, from Habiganj district.

According to police, the four young men travelled to Teknaf on 27 June after being offered what they believed were attractive employment opportunities with good salaries. Investigators say the job offer was merely a trap designed to lure them to the coastal border area before they were abducted.

Law enforcement officials said the victims were confined at a hideout in the Rangikhali Jumma Para hills under Hnila Union in Teknaf. Acting on intelligence information, a joint RAB and police team carried out a two-and-a-half-hour operation between noon and 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, successfully rescuing the four captives.

The victims were later taken to Teknaf Model Police Station, where legal formalities began before arrangements were made to reunite them with their families.

Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Saiful Islam of Teknaf Model Police Station confirmed the incident, saying investigators had identified a local resident of Rangikhali village, known as Russell, as one of the individuals allegedly involved in the kidnapping.

According to the police, Russell had previously worked in Feni, where he became acquainted with the victims. Investigators believe he used that connection to persuade the young men to travel to Teknaf by promising them employment. Once they arrived, they were allegedly taken to the hill hideout and held against their will while ransom demands were made to their families.

Police said the hideout was traced using information technology and intelligence-based surveillance. However, the kidnappers reportedly detected the approaching security forces and escaped into the nearby forest before they could be apprehended.

Authorities said efforts are under way to arrest everyone involved in the abduction and prepare criminal cases against the suspects.

Family members alleged that shortly after the kidnappings, the abductors contacted them by telephone and demanded Tk 1 million in exchange for the safe release of each victim. They also allegedly threatened to kill the young men and dispose of their bodies if the money was not paid.

According to the families, one household eventually paid Tk 50,000 after repeated threats and pressure from the kidnappers.

Dil Bahar, the mother of rescued victim Hossain, said she had no idea that her son had travelled from home to Teknaf. She recalled receiving a phone call on Saturday from an unidentified person informing her that her son had been abducted.

She said the caller briefly allowed her to speak with her son before demanding Tk 1 million as ransom. When she explained that the family was unable to raise such a large amount of money, she alleged that the kidnappers began beating her son while keeping the phone line open.

“I could hear my son’s cries and screams over the phone,” she said, adding that she immediately sought help from the authorities to secure his release.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over organised kidnapping networks operating in parts of Teknaf and surrounding hilly areas. Law enforcement agencies have carried out numerous operations against such groups in recent years, particularly in remote locations where difficult terrain can complicate rescue efforts and provide escape routes for criminal gangs.

Police said the rescued youths would be handed over to their families after the completion of legal procedures. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and track down the remaining suspects, while authorities have urged job seekers to verify employment offers carefully before travelling to unfamiliar locations, particularly when recruitment is arranged through informal contacts or unverified intermediaries.