Family of Expatriate Attacked in Rangunia After Alleged Extortion Demand: Five, Including a Child, Shot and Injured; Residents Flee in Fear

❐ Local correspondent

Armed terrorists have carried out a brutal attack, vandalism and looting on an expatriate family in Sarafbhata Union of Dakshin Rangunia Police Station in Rangunia Upazila of Chittagong, demanding extortion.

Five members of the same family, including a child, were seriously injured after they entered a house and opened fire and hacked it with sharp weapons after failing to receive a ransom of 5 lakh taka.

Even after 36 hours of the incident, extreme panic has spread throughout the entire Sarfabad district as no case has been filed and no raids have been carried out on the terrorist hideout.

According to local and victim sources, the brutal incident took place at around 1:30 am on Thursday, October 8, at the house of Jamir Ali Talukdar in the Baper Tila area of ​​Lusa, Ward No. 1 of Sarafbhata. The terrorists had been demanding a ransom of Tk 5 lakh per head from at least 10 families in the area. When they refused to pay the ransom, a group of armed terrorists entered the house that night and took them hostage.

The terrorists carried out indiscriminate attacks, vandalizing and looting homes. They looted valuables including cash, 15 mobile phones and two pairs of gold pendants.

Md. Golap (45), an expatriate who returned to Oman for not paying the ransom, was shot in the right hand and his left hand was hacked with a Chinese axe. His son Md. Asif (18), a student of Mirrekhil High School, suffered a sharp weapon that nearly severed his left wrist.

In addition, the elder brother Mohammad Syed (55) was beaten with a gun butt and a stick on the chest and head, causing serious bleeding. During this time, the young children were not spared from the barbaric attacks of the terrorists – 3-year-old Mohammad was hit in the face, knocking out his teeth, and 5-year-old Rakib was severely injured by being kicked.

The seriously injured Golap and her son Asif have been admitted to Ward 26 of Chittagong Medical College (CMC) Hospital. The victim’s family said that they have already undergone surgery and their condition is very critical.

Upon receiving the information, a police team led by Rangunia Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Belayet Hossain and South Rangunia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Hilal Uddin Ahmed inspected the scene and intensified patrolling in the area.

However, no case had been filed till the night of Friday, October 9. In this regard, the OC of South Rangunia Police Station said that there was a delay in coming to the police station to file a complaint as the victims were undergoing treatment at Chamek Hospital and were busy, but the police were taking the incident seriously and conducting a drive to identify those involved.

Meanwhile, Sarfbhata has been paralyzed by a series of murders, attacks, robberies and extortion. Hundreds of families in the surrounding areas, including Mirerkhil, have now left their homes due to the continued threat from terrorists.

Locals are expressing their anger on social media and questioning the role of the Rangunia administration and local leadership. They are demanding that a joint RAB-police operation be conducted in Sarfbhata, similar to the one in Jungle Salimpur, to ensure the swift arrest and exemplary punishment of the identified terrorists.