13 rescued from forced labour

Thirteen people, including a child, who were allegedly confined, tortured and forced to work in an illegal brick field in Barisal for the last couple of days were rescued by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday noon.

The site's manager, Milon, and a local broker, Kabir, have been arrested while a case filed against the duo; the brick field owner, Tajem Ali Howlader of Banaripara upazila's Kajla village; and his son Forkan, said police.

The charges were filed at Banaripara Police Station by Halim Kha, a relative of victim Khalil Kha, whose hand was said to have been broken during the torture.

Another victim Afjal Hossain said they were all residents of Hajrakathi village, situated in Satkhira's Tala upazila. They came to work at Tajem Brick Field in Banaripara's Baishari village six months ago on being promised monthly wages ranging from Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000, food and accommodation, he said. However, they were never paid while money to buy food was not regularly provided, he said. The owner and his men recently started keeping them confined in a tin-shed room and under watch while forcing them to work and torturing those who refused, he added.

Some of the victims who had cellphones contacted their relatives, who then communicated with journalists, leading to Rab-8, sources in which stated that the owner, his son and other employees fled the scene during the raid.