A team of Rapid Action Battalion Unit-8 on Monday operating a drive at Tazim Bricks in remote Baishari area under Banaripara upazila of Barisal rescued 13 workers including a child detained like slaves.
RAB also arrested Milon Ahmed, site manager, Kabir Hossain, broker of that brick field, in this connection said Major Adnan, deputy commander of RAB-8.
A case was lodged by Abdul Halim, uncle of the rescued child Khalilur Rahman against brick kiln owner Tazem Ali Haoladar, local union president of ruling Awami League, who defeated in recent union parishad election contesting as a rebel candidate for chairman post of Baishari union.
Forkan Haoladar, son of the brick field owner and the arrested two staffs of the brick kiln also accused in that case lodged alleging torture and forced labour without payment.
Witnesses and RAB-8 sources said all of rescued 13 persons were men from Hazrakathi under Tala upazila of Satkhira and working as brick-kiln slaves under torture and threats.
The rescued labours were Khalil Kha, 13, Kamrul Islam, Abdul Majid Gazi, Sohel Kha, Afzal Hossain, Nupur Sardar, Gofur Sardar, Rafikul Biswas, Kalam Morol, Hamid Kha, Mahbubur Rahman, Siraj Gazi, Mutha Sardar, aged from 20 to 50 years.
Halim Kha, uncle of Khalil Kha who came from Satkhira accompanying the rescue-team, said all of the rescued persons were hired for working in that brick kiln about six months ago.
However, the owner of the kiln after their joining breaking terms and conditions about salary and benefits barred the workers from going back home resigning from the job.
The owner and his men making the workers captive started physical and mental torture enforcing restrictions over food, lodging and forced them to work at the kiln like slaves confining in a room.
Recently hand of Khalilur Rahman, one of the child slaves of the kiln, was broken by the oppressors and supply of food and other utilities stopped.
The story of their passing days under inhuman condition was disclosed by family members and flashed in media by the local journalists of Satkhira.
Then they seek helps from RAB-8 and accompanying the journalists operating drives at the brick kiln were rescued them, RAB-8 official said.
The brick kiln was sealed as it was operating with out any license from any concerned authourity, RAB sources added.
