Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) in Rajshahi rescued 34 people including 16 women and 15 children as they were being trafficked to India through Barakuthi Ghat on the Padma yesterday. BDR also held a trafficker but three of his accomplices managed to escape.

On information, BDR men from Talaimari outpost raided Barakuthi Ghat around 5:00am and rescued the people while they were being taken onboard a boat.

Police arrested Imanuddin Sheikh of Butakhol of Narail and he confessed to police about human trafficking after he and the rescued were handed over to Boalia Police Station.

He said the rescued people, mainly from Jessore and Khulna regions, were congregated at Natore Railway Station a day before and were taken to Barakuthi Ghat to be sent to India.

BDR men also recovered two letters addressed to the fathers of the children Moyna, Monirul and Ajmira Khatun in Narail from Imanuddin's possession.

The letters assured the parents

safety of the children and their good jobs. The traffickers collected Tk 2000 for each of the people they were trafficking, the letter mentioned.

The victims said many of their relatives went to India through the held persons before.

They told police they were offered jobs in different Indian regions including Surat in Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi, Ajmeer, Meerat, and Kanpur.

The rescued were taken into safe custody while the arrestee was sent to jail after he was produced before a magistrate's court last evening.

POLICE VERSION

Aslam Iqbal, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station, said an organized gang has been involved with human trafficking for several years. They lure needy people into seeking jobs in India.

The law enforcement agencies of Rajshahi region were alerted after police rescued five children and arrested two traffickers from the city's Bara Bangram area on Tuesday, police sources said.

THE RESCUED

Among the rescued people Rabiul Islam Sheikh, 35, his wife Nasima Khatun, 28, their son Habibullah Sheikh, 8, daughter Moslema Khatun, 4, hailed from Nawapara in Jessore.

Alima Begum, 35, Shahina Khatun, 18, were from Kharabat area of Khulna city while Ramjan Ali, 18, hailed from Pangsa in Rajbari.

Ajmira Khatun, 35, her son Noman Hossain 14, her daughters Sharmina Akhtar, 12, and Armina Akhtar, 8, Mira Begum, 35, Hasan Sheikh, 14, hailed from Bhandarkot upazila, Akser Ali, 26, his wife Shahida Begum, 22, his daughter Rajmoni, 5, his sons Maruf Billah, 10, Raju, 3, from Batia Ghata upazila, Rabia Khatun, 20, from Kaliganj in Shamnagar upazila of Khulna.

Baby Khatun, 40, Meherunnesa, 35, Rebeka Begum, 8, Adari Begum, 25, Sagari Khatun, 6, her sister Shayamoli Khatun, 18, of Dighalia, NoorJahan, 35, Reba Khatun, 32, Minarul, 10, Nazim, 3, of Talbaria, Shahana Begum, 28, Sharmila, 7 of Dhulaitala of Lohagara upazila in Narail, Kulsum Begum, 22, Champa Begum, 6, of Hatbaria in Narail Sadar upazila were also among the victims.