The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Sunday requested the Afghan authorities to secure release of two BRAC officials abducted from Ghazni city.

He also urged the abductors to release these two innocent Bangladeshis engaged in development works in Afghanistan for the benefit of the Afghan brethren.

Shajahan Ali of Gopalpur, Tangail and Akhtar Ali of Rajshahi were abducted by four gunmen while the two officials went to visit Moi Mobarrak branch of BRAC in Ghazni city last Thursday. Shajahan and Akhtar are regional directors of BRAC office in Ghazni.

Since their abduction, whereabouts of the BRAC officials or identity of the abductors could not be known.

Iftekhar has written a letter to Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to extend all cooperation in tracing out and rescuing the two BRAC officials.

The letter was handed to Afghanistan Ambassador Ahmad Karim Nawabi at the Foreign Ministry in presence of BRAC deputy director, overseas operations, Aminul Islam and BRAC media director Anwarul Haq.

"A few months ago we rescued another BRAC official Noor through our four-pronged approach… We hope we will be able to recover them too," the Advisor told the media.

Iftekhar said BRAC runs 250 institutions across Afghanistan extending micro-credit to two lakh women and health services to five lakh women. Besides, BRAC set up 4,000 schools in Afghanistan.

"I would like to urge the abductors to release these innocent officials as Bangladeshis are working in Afghanistan for welfare of the Afghan people, nothing more," the Advisor said.

Afghan Ambassador Nawabi said the Afghan authorities will make all possible efforts to rescue the Bangladeshi brothers.

BRAC official Aminul Islam said they maintain contacts with the Afghan Home Minister and the Relief and Reconstruction Minister who are trying hard to trace them out. Besides, Afghan security forces are also working to find them out.

Islam said some 4,000 Afghans and 150 Bangladeshi BRAC employees are working over there. In reply to a question, he said all Bangladeshi employees will be withdrawn in next five years enhancing capacity building of the Afghans so they can run the BRAC projects on their own.