Khulna, Nov 01 (V7N)- Forest bandits have kidnapped two fishermen from Kostakhali canal of Sundarbans under Satkhira range demanding a ransom of 20 thousand rupees.  They were abducted at gunpoint on Thursday (October 31) afternoon.
 
 Five people were kidnapped at the same time, but three people returned with ransom.  The remaining two are still held hostage by the bandits.
 
 Mofizur Rahman (33) and Mrinal Sardar (32) are two fishermen held hostage by the foresters.  They are residents of Shyamnagar in Satkhira and Koira upazila in Khulna.
 
 Jaydev, Mukul and Rezaul are the fishermen who returned from the hostage situation of the forest bandits with ransom.  All three of their homes are in different villages of Shyamnagar Upazila.
 
 Abdur Rahim, another fisherman who returned from Sundarbans, said that they went to Sundarbans for crab hunting two days ago.  On Wednesday night and Thursday morning, five of them were taken hostage by four unidentified armed men from Kostakhali and Chunkuri rivers in Sundarbans.  At one stage, they released three of them with 10,000 rupees each, but kept Mofizur and Mrinal hostage.
 
 Abdur Rahim and his fellow fisherman Abul Basar said that four people were involved in the fishermen's hostage incident.  Although stationed in a dinghy, they have two single-barreled guns.  In the beginning, they demanded 50,000 taka per boat, but later they freed three people from hostages by paying 10,000 taka.  However, they also claimed that all the fishermen were beaten with sticks immediately after being taken hostage.
 
 In this regard, Satkhira Range Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Hasanur Rahman said that no one has complained to them about any fisherman being held hostage or returning with ransom.  However, he confirmed that he came to know about the matter through journalists.
 
 Police Inspector (Investigation) of Shyamnagar Police Station Fakir Taijur Rahman said that no jailer's family has filed any written complaint with the police station.
END/SDA/SMA