B'desh urges Afghan Govt to help rescue abducted NGO officials

Dhaka, Oct 26 (UNI) Bangladesh Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury today requested the Afghan authorities to secure release of two NGO officials abducted from the Ghazni city.

He also urged the kidnappers to release the two innocent Bangladeshis engaged in developmental works in Afghanistan.

Shajahan Ali and Akhtar Ali were kidnapped last Thursday by four gunmen while the officials went to visit Moi Mobarrak branch of BRAC, a Bangladeshi leading NGO, in Ghazni city.

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

Foreign Advisor Iftekhar today wrote a letter to Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to extend all cooperation in rescuing the officials.

''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.

Dr Iftekhar said BRAC runs 250 institutions across Afghanistan extending micro-credit to two lakh women and health services to five lakh women. Besides, BRAC has 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.

UNI XC RJ AKJ HT1452