Burma’s border security force, Nasaka, abducted two Bangladeshi woodcutters on Thursday from Bangladesh territory and are extorting money from their family, according to a local report.

The report stated tat a group of Burmese Nasaka personnel entered Bangladesh territory in Okia Township of Cox’s Bazar District on Thursday evening and abducted two woodcutters who were working in the area.

The two woodcutters were identified as Mayhi Ahli, aged 26, and Adurohim, aged 21.

A family source told a local newspaper yesterday that Nasaka has asked for a ransom from the family if they wanted them released in the near future.

Nasaka also reportedly threatened the family, saying that if the family failed to pay the ransom to Nasaka, the two woodcutters would be sent to jail for illegally entering Burmese territory.

Burmese authorities typically sentence Bangladeshis found guilty of illegally entering the country to two or three years in prison.

Locals report that it is not uncommon for Nasaka forces along the border to extort tolls and ransom money from local Bangladeshis when they need money for their own interests.