KHULNA, Feb 27, 2024 (BSS) - National Emergency Hotline Service 999 helped 
police to rescue 31 tourists who went missing in Karamjal area of Sundarbans 
here on Monday afternoon.

After receiving a call from the emergency hotline 999, a team of the Mongla 
police rescued them from the area this afternoon. 

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mongla Police Station K M Azizul Islam said a total 
of 31 tourists lost their way shortly after entering the forest.

The tourists, who were students of different educational institutions of 
Chitalmari upazila of Bagerhat, went to Karamjal Tourism and Wildlife 
Breeding Center under Chandpai Range (Mongla) of Sundarban East Forest 
Division on Monday morning. 

"Being curious and enthusiastic, the tourists were marveled at the beauty of 
nature and started walking deep into the forest," the OC said, adding that 
they lost their way two kilometers into the deep Eastern Forest under the 
Chadpai Range after crossing the Karamjal tourist centre.

They were terrified and two of them fell ill. A teenager named Ferdous who 
was in the group made a mobile call to National Emergency Hotline 999. 
Getting the call, Mongla Police Station OC rescued them from the forest.

"There was no balance in my SIM but I know anyone can make a call at 999 free 
of cost and we did it two hours later after realizing we were lost," said Md 
Ferdous while talking to BSS today. 

"We thank Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the Information and Communication Technology 
(ICT) advisor to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for digitalization of 
Bangladesh and the police as well as their immediate response," he added.