6 Sylhet bricklayers, who went 'missing' in Cox's Bazar, now reportedly in Indonesia

Six masonry workers from a village in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet, who reportedly went missing for six days after going to work as bricklayers in Cox's Bazar, are now in the Indonesian sea, one of the missing workers informed their family members over the phone.

Rashid Ahmed, one of the missing, informed Bahar Uddin, brother of another missing bricklayer Emad Uddin, of the matter over the phone today (22 April).

"Rashid told me that they were taken to Indonesia in a trawler from Teknaf," said Bahar, speaking to reporters this afternoon.

"However, Rashid did not say anything beyond that. It is not clear how true the matter is," he added. 

This evening, four relatives, including Bahar, of the missing bricklayers, filed a written complaint with the Teknaf Police Station in Cox's Bazar on charges of abduction over the bricklayers going missing. 

Nazmul Hasan, the police sub-inspector on duty there, confirmed the receipt of the complaint and said a police team has started working on it.

Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Gias Uddin also said they are working on the matter after the filing of the complaint.

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

The six missing individuals are 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.

"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 yesterday.

"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.