Sea robbers have abducted at least 50 fishermen from the Bay of Bengal, attacking a fleet of more than a hundred fishing trawlers during Monday evening and early yesterday.
They also captured 25 of the trawlers.
Eleven of the fishermen from Patharghata of Barguna district were injured as some 30 armed robbers of the infamous Master Bahini attacked them at Fairway Point in the Bay, 80km south-west of Patharghata.
The robbers took away Ilish fish worth at least Tk10 lakh and shipping instruments with the trawlers, said Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, chairman of Barguna Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, confirming the incident of the robbery to the Dhaka Tribune.
Quoting family members of the abducted fishermen and owners of the captured trawlers, Golam Mostafa said the robbers of Master Bahini had told them to call at 01709747449 and 01709747445 for further instructions.
He said over a hundred trawlers were there in the Bay catching fish.
Local people told the Dhaka Tribune that fishermen in hundreds of trawlers go to sea around this time of year to catch fish.
Those who were able to return could immediately identify fishermen Harun Mia, Forkan Baburchi, Swapan, Forkan, Mosharef, Rafiq and Mozammel as having been abducted.
Among the captured trawlers are FB Riaz Uddin, FB Rina, FB Maa Babar Dowa, FB Sirajul Hoque, FB Bashir, FB Akter and FB Maa.
Of the injured, Sohel, 24, Hasan, 25, Swapan, 28, Babul, 32, Bellal, 31, Siddique, 27, Yunus, 34, and A Rahman, 28, could be identified.
The injured fishermen were receiving treatment at Patharaghata Health Complex. All of them are residents of different villages under Patharghata upazila.
Patharghata Coast Guard’s Commander SA Rouf said they had already started drives to rescue the abducted fishermen.
Ponu Akon, owner of the captured trawler FB Riaz Uddin, said the trawler owners would work unitedly to rescue the abducted fishermen.
However, citing examples of previous similar incidents, Barguna Trawler Workers’ Union President Abdul Mannan said there was no other way but to give in to the demands of the robbers to get back the fishermen.
