Robbers have suddenly turned active allegedly cashing in on the lax navy patrolling in the Bay of Bengal.
They abducted 70 fishermen swooping down on more than 150 trawlers in two days until Thursday, said Matsa Sramik Union (union of fishermen) President Abdul Mannan yesterday.
He said they looted whatever they found valuables including fishing nets and fishes at Narikel Baria, Pakkhidia and Katka areas in the south of the Bay of Bengal in Barguna's Patharghata upazila.
All 70 abducted fishermen reportedly hail from different parts of Barguna. Mannan blamed the navy team led by NCD Lieutenant Adnan for slackening their patrolling in the Bay of Bengal all of a sudden, exposing the fishermen to robbery.
A naval ship has been anchoring at Patharghata but there is no respon- sible naval officer there for launching the operation against the robbers in the Bay.