The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Two BRAC staff members, Akhter Ali and Mohammad Shahjahan Ali, were kidnapped on October 23 from the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, where they have both been working as BRAC Afghanistan Area Managers for the last three years.

According to a message received here yesterday from BRAC Afghanistan authorities in Kabul, 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 traveled 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 Minister of Interior, Hanif Atmar, Thursday night to inform him of the incident.

Atmar assured BRAC that the Afghan authorities would provide all necessary support in rescuing the two BRAC staff members. He also communicated with his Advisor of Security 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, said a release of BRAC issued here yesterday.

A high level team has been sent to Ghazni from the BRAC Afghanistan head office in Kabul to gather information and to liaise with the Afghani authorities, including the Governor and Chief Security Officer of Ghazni.