The two tourists and their local guide, who were abducted in Bilachhari upazila under Rangamati district on October 3, have remained untraced for 10 days.

A three member team, led by Paching Mro, elder brother of abducted guide Mangsai Mro, 30, of Bandarban's Ruma upazila, went to Mayong Karbari para inside India to contact the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) on Sunday.

"We met three ALP members, including their camp commander, at the house of one Mayong Marma, a Karbari of Mayong Karbari para in India's Mizoram, at around 8:00am on Sunday. Speaking Myanmar  language, they claimed that they did not abduct the trio or demand ransom from anyone," Paching, also Karbari (para chief) of Paching Karbari para of Ruma upazila, told this correspondent over phone.

"In the half-hour meeting, they (ALP) said they did not abduct anyone from Bangladesh, and promised to help find the abductees if they were taken to India or Myanmar," he added.

On October 3, armed criminals abducted Abdullah Al Jubayer, 26, of Mirpur-2, Jaker Hossain Munna, 34, of Eastern Housing area of Dhaka, and their local guide Mangsai Mro, 30, from Sepru para in Bilaichhari upazila on their way to remote Chetlang waterfall in the upazila.

"A gang of seven men wearing army uniform and speaking Myanmar language abducted the three," said Athu Mong Marma, chairman of Borotholi Union Parishad, quoting locals of Sepru para.

Local sources said Jaker Hossain Munna, locally known as Munna bhai, visited the remote hill areas frequently for the last 10-12 years and stayed at the house of Paching Mro Karbari.

Contacted, an army official said the motive behind the abduction of the trio is getting a new dimension as ALP has cleared its position.

A case was filed with Bilaichhari Police Station concerning the matter on October 5, said Manjurul Alam, officer-in-charge of the police station.