Two BRAC officials abducted in Afghanistan
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Two BRAC officials were kidnapped Thursday from the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, where they both had been working for the last three years, BRAC announced Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
Both Akhter Ali and Mohammad Shahjahan Ali were area managers for BRAC Afghanistan, the announcement said.
Last year, unidentified gunmen killed a BRAC official, Abdul Alim, on September 12. Three days later, another BRAC executive, Nurul Islam, was kidnapped on September 15 but released after 83 days.
The BRAC headquarters in Dhaka quoted the BRAC Afghanistan authorities in Kabul to make details of the latest incident public.
"Akhter and Shahjahan were abducted at gunpoint by four men from BRAC Afghanistan's Moi Mobarok branch office in the provincial capital, Ghazni City, where they had travelled as part of their regular office visit schedule.
"During the attack, the manager of the branch office, Hasmatullah, an Afghani national, was also severely beaten. The identities of the attackers are yet to be confirmed.
"In immediate response, BRAC Afghanistan authorities contacted the Afghani Interior Minister, Hanif Atmar, Thursday night to inform him of the incident.
"Mr Atmar assured BRAC that the Afghan authorities would provide all necessary support in rescuing the two BRAC staff members.
"He also communicated with his security adviser and conveyed a message to the Ghazni police.
"BRAC Afghanistan authorities also informed the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the incident and are now in continuous communication with the Afghan authorities regarding the matter," a BRAC statement said.
"A high level team has been sent to Ghazni from the BRAC Afghanistan head office in Kabul to gather information and to liaison with the Afghan authorities, including the governor and chief security officer of Ghazni," BRAC said.
Both Akhter Ali and Mohammad Shahjahan Ali were area managers for BRAC Afghanistan, the announcement said.
Last year, unidentified gunmen killed a BRAC official, Abdul Alim, on September 12. Three days later, another BRAC executive, Nurul Islam, was kidnapped on September 15 but released after 83 days.
The BRAC headquarters in Dhaka quoted the BRAC Afghanistan authorities in Kabul to make details of the latest incident public.
"Akhter and Shahjahan were abducted at gunpoint by four men from BRAC Afghanistan's Moi Mobarok branch office in the provincial capital, Ghazni City, where they had travelled as part of their regular office visit schedule.
"During the attack, the manager of the branch office, Hasmatullah, an Afghani national, was also severely beaten. The identities of the attackers are yet to be confirmed.
"In immediate response, BRAC Afghanistan authorities contacted the Afghani Interior Minister, Hanif Atmar, Thursday night to inform him of the incident.
"Mr Atmar assured BRAC that the Afghan authorities would provide all necessary support in rescuing the two BRAC staff members.
"He also communicated with his security adviser and conveyed a message to the Ghazni police.
"BRAC Afghanistan authorities also informed the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the incident and are now in continuous communication with the Afghan authorities regarding the matter," a BRAC statement said.
"A high level team has been sent to Ghazni from the BRAC Afghanistan head office in Kabul to gather information and to liaison with the Afghan authorities, including the governor and chief security officer of Ghazni," BRAC said.