They also arrested three human traffickers--Abul Hashem, Aklima and Salma -- who admitted their involvement in trafficking in women and children. They were handed over to the Siddhirganj police.

Tipped-off, a team of Rab-3 raided different houses in Mijmiji and surrounding areas on Monday night and rescued Mamun (7), Babu (13), Parvez (13) and his mother Parveen of Siddhirganj, and Ripon (15) of Patuakhali.

Rab sources said about eight years ago a gang sent the children to Dubai, where they were used as camel jockeys. The traffickers also forced the woman to work as a domestic help, although she was promised a good job in Dubai.

"Narrating how they were tortured in Dubai, the children told us that their landlords in Dubai used to pour boiled water on their bodies and give them electric shocks if they failed to perform their duties," a Rab official told The Daily Star.

"Marks of numerous old burn injuries are all over the bodies of the children, who still look very feeble," said Commander of Rab-3 Faruq Ahmed.

"Probably, the gang brought the children back home as they became too old to be camel jockeys and also out of fear of the Dubai police," he said.

Quoting Parveen, a Rab official said Aklima sent her and her son to Dubai about eight years ago. Since then she has not been allowed to meet her son.

The Rab officials said Aklima confessed to having trafficked Parveen, Parvez, Babu and Ripon to Dubai at different times. However, the gang that trafficked Mamun is still absconding.

The Rab officials said Abul Hashem and Salma admitted to having sent two men and a woman about a year ago for the price of Tk 1 lakh each.