6 bricklayers from Sylhet village missing after going to work in Cox's Bazar

Six masonry workers from a village in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet have been missing for six days after going to work as bricklayers in Cox's Bazar.

The six have been identified as Rashid Ahmed (20), son of the late Lukush Mia, Maruf Ahmed (18), son of Faruk Ahmed, Shahin Ahmed (21), son of Azir Uddin, Emad Uddin (22), son of the late Durai Mia, Khaled Hasan (19), son of Safar Uddin, and Abdul Jalil (55), son of the late Sarabdi, of Paschim Loharmahal village in Khalachhara union of Zakiganj.

All of them left their homes in Zakiganj on 15 April to attend work in Cox's Bazar, according to police and family members.

"We have received information that six masonry workers who went to Cox's Bazar from Zakiganj for work have gone missing. The families of the missing have contacted the police. We are assisting them," said Zakiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zahirul Islam Munna.

"The mobile phones of two of the missing are being tracked, and their last location was found to be Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. The guardians of the missing people have been advised to file a GD with the relevant police station in Cox's Bazar. We are also looking into the matter seriously," he added.

When contacted about the matter, Teknaf Model Officer-in-Charge OC Muhammad Gias Uddin said, "We had heard about the matter. However, no one had come to the police station with any complaint as of 7pm on 21 April."

According to family members of the missing persons, on 15 April afternoon, six people, including five youths, from Paschim Loharmahal village in Sylhet's Zakiganj, left for Cox's Bazar for work.

"Emad, Khaled, and their companions left home on 15 April and reached Cox's Bazar on the 16th. At around 6pm that day, Emad called home and informed them that they had all reached their workplace," Emad's cousin and Khaled's uncle Abdul Basit Dulal told The Business Standard.

"After that, they did not contact home. When family members called them, their mobile phones were found switched off. Their companions also could not be reached over the phone. At first, the matter seemed normal. But since no one called back after five days, the families became worried," he added.

He also said the Zakiganj Police advised the family members to file a GD in Cox's Bazar. "The police station there has been contacted by Zakiganj Police Station. Our people have left for Cox's Bazar."
Abdul Basit, brother of the missing Rashid, said Rashid had been working under a contractor in Chattogram for several years.

"He used to come and go home at different times. This is the first time he has gone to Cox's Bazar through the contractor in Chattogram. Since going to Cox's Bazar, the mobile phones of everyone who was with Rashid have been switched off," he said.

Basit, however, said neither he nor any of his family members knows the name or the address of that contractor.

"We think that the person who took them there did something to them. If they were taken hostage, abductors would demand money and contact their family members," he added.

Missing Khaled's father and Union Parishad member Safar Uddin said Khaled and the others go to Chattogram for work and stay there for 5/6 months usually. 

"They come home during Eid or Waz. They work as masons in Chattogram year-round. There has been no contact since my son left home on Tuesday. The family and relatives have become restless due to not being able to contact him.  His mother is crying for her son. No one can console her," said Safar.

"I was at the police station all night on Sunday. The mobile number of the contractor who hired him has been switched off. The OC of the police station informed us that the name of the contractor from Chattogram is Rashid, and the name of another person with him is Babul," he added.