19 fishermen abducted for ransom from Meghna

Robbers abducted 19 fishermen for ransom from the Meghna River in Hatiya upazila of the district yesterday.

The victims hail from Rahamat Bazar and Jahajmara area of the upazila.

Md Rashed, president of Hatiya Boat Owners' Association, said the fishermen went to the deep sea to catch hilsa on Tuesday morning.

A gang of robbers attacked the fishermen while they were returning home yesterday morning. The gang intercepted the fishermen near Rahamatkhali ghat, beat them up and took them towards Thengarchar area of the Meghna, Rashed said, adding that one of the members later phoned him, demanding Tk five lakh as ransom for release of the fishermen.

Contacted, lieutenant Md Rashed, in-charge of Hatiya coastguard, said Boat Owners' Association President Rashed informed him of the matter in the morning, but they could not move due to inclement weather.

Meanwhile, detectives arrested robber Abul Kalam, chief of infamous 'Kalam Bahini' at Siddique Building near Navygate of Bandartila in Chittagong city on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, DB police Led by ASP Jashim Uddin Chowdhury raided the building and arrested the gang leader from there. He was later brought to Sudharam Model Police Station in the district.

Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of DB, Noakhali, said they will produce the robber gang leader before the court after primary interrogation. Kalam is from Mohammadpur union under Subarnachar upazila of the district.