Piracy in the Sundarbans has sharply risen with the killing of at least 10 fishermen and around 200 incidents of abduction in the last three months.
Local sources said the pirates had also looted fish and nets worth around Tk130 million by attacking over 120 fishing trawlers during the period.
The pirate groups led by Raju, Shirsha, Nayan and Zero have been conducting robberies in the forest area under the very nose of district administration.
On January 12, a group of pirates attacked FB Tanzila Trawler and took control of it, after throwing nine fishermen into the bay, tying them up with a rope.
The fishermen – Sukkur Ali, Nazrul Islam, Abdus Sattar, Liton Mia, Masum Hossain, Kalu Mia, Shiraj Uddin and Jamal Hossain – have remained missing since then. All of them were residents of Barguna.
Another fisherman who managed to escape and came to land with help of a fishing boat narrated the incident.
On January 11, Nazir Ali, 45, a fisherman received bullet injury in a pirate attack in Boleswar river of Patharghata.
On February 7, Hafiz, a fisherman of FB Kazal trawler was shot dead during a pirate attack in Mandharbari area of Barguna.
Babul, another fisherman of the trawler, also received bullet injuries from the attack.
On February 17, pirates abducted around 30 fishermen by attacking over 20 trawlers at Sonarchar and Gange areas of the sea.
After the death of the pirate group leaders Mortuza, Manik and Raju at different gunfights with Rapid Action Battalion, their second-in-commands are now operating the groups, locals said.
Golam Mostofa Chowdhury, president of District Trawler Owners’ Association, told the Dhaka Tribune that the piracy had reduced since RAB officials set up a camp in Dubla char area of the Sundarban, but it had risen once again since they withdrew the camp from there.
Sources at coastguards said they were operating raids to stop piracy in the area.
