20 workers held hostage at brick kiln in Nandail rescued, 2 arrested
The joint forces have rescued 20 workers who were being held hostage in a brick kiln in Nandail, Mymensingh. On Wednesday evening, the workers were rescued by conducting a raid at a brick kiln named SRB Bricks in the Baruigram Dangri area of Chandipasha Union. Two people were arrested at that time.
The arrested persons are Billal Hossain (40) of Aranyapasha village of Gangail Union of the upazila and Md. Zakaria (50) of Mushulli village of Mushulli Union. The rescued workers have alleged that they used to torture them. Police and local people said that the owner of the brick kiln is Ruhul Amin of Baruigram. The workers working in the brick kiln were being tortured and tortured. The workers were being held hostage and were not being paid properly. When the workers asked for their fair dues, they were badly treated and beaten. Brick kiln workers who came from far away were held hostage with death threats. A group of workers who came from Kishoreganj to work at the kiln reported the matter to law enforcement agencies. Later, in the early hours of Wednesday evening, Army Sergeant Md. Moniruzzaman, Nandail Model Police Station OC Mohammad Anwar Hossain and a joint force conducted a raid on the kiln. At that time, 20 workers were rescued and sent back to their families.
The workers’ leader Md. Mehedi Hasan claimed that the brick kiln owner and his assistants used to keep the workers hostage and make them work. They did not pay them proper wages. They were also beaten. Later, when the army was informed, they were rescued.
Nandail Model Police Station OC Mohammad Anwar Hossain said that a contractor group had supplied workers to the kiln. The contractor group had taken money but was not paying the workers. The workers were kept locked up and made to work. On receiving the information, 20 workers from Kishoreganj were rescued. Two have been arrested. They will be handed over to the court on Thursday after the case is filed at the police station.
