9 children enslaved by dry fish trader rescued
Coastguards rescued nine children aged between 11 and 15 from a remote fishermen's village at Dubla under Sharankhola range of the Sundarbans early yesterday.
The children were forcibly employed in fish drying work at Meher Ali's Char at Dubla fishermen's village.
The rescued children are Md Ibrahim, 15, son of Nurul Islam, Md Nur Nabi, 15, son of Monir Ahmed, Md Alauddin, 11, son of Md Mostafa of Hatia in Noakhali district; Md Ibrahim, 14, son of Kala Miah of Sitakunda, Md Sohel, 14, son of Md Selim of Rangunia in Chittagong district; Mostafa Sheikh, 12, son of Ali Ahmed of Burichong in Comilla district; Md Ripon, 13, son of Abul Hossain of Gazipur; Md Faruque alias Babul, 12, son of Abdul Kader of Feni district; and Md Jewel, 13, son of Shamsul Haque of Gouripur in Mymensingh district.
Receiving a complaint from Abdur Rab of Sonagazi in Feni district, coastguards led by Operations Officer Lt Lokman Hakim raided the fishermen's village at Dubla at around 3:00am and rescued the children.
Coastguard sources said dry fish trader Gafur Bahaddar brought the children to Dubla five months ago and engaged them in fish drying process at Meher Ali's Char.
The rescued children were sent to their respective homes, the sources said.
Sundarbans East Zone Forest Officer Mihir Kumar said the forest department has imposed a ban on employing children in drying fish. As per rules, the trade licence of Gafur Bahaddar will be cancelled, he added.
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