The Myanmar Navy opened fire on six Bangladeshi fishing trawlers off the coast of Saint Martin’s Island in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, around 3pm on Thursday.
The attack left one fisherman, Osman Gani, dead.
Osman, the son of Bacha Mia from Konarpara village in the Shahpari Island area of Teknaf upazila, was among the crew on the trawler.
Saiful, the owner of the trawler, said his vessel was fishing in the sea when the Myanmar Navy suddenly chased them and opened fire. Four people on board were shot, with Osman succumbing to his injuries.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Adnan Chowdhury confirmed that the Myanmar Navy targeted six Bangladeshi trawlers near the water border between Teknaf, Saint Martin’s, and Myanmar. The trawlers had 50-60 fishermen on board. One fisherman was killed, and 11 members of the Coast Guard were later returned along with a trawler carrying the deceased fisherman.
Lt Col Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, commander of BGB 2 Teknaf Battalion, said: "We have received reports that one person was killed and two others were injured in the firing by the Myanmar Navy on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in the Bay of Bengal near St Martin’s. Detailed inquiries are underway regarding this incident."
5 boats including crew members returned
The Myanmar Navy has released five fishing boats taken from near Saint Martin's Island.
On Thursday afternoon, these boats, along with their crew, were freed and brought near Saint Martin's Island by a Coast Guard patrol vessel.
The Coast Guard stated that the boats will be brought to the Shapuree Island jetty in Teknaf on Friday morning, and there are 47 crew members and fishermen on board.
Detailed information will be provided later by the Coast Guard.
Previously, the Myanmar Navy had released another fishing boat, which arrived at the Shapuree island jetty around noon with 11 crew members.
Among them, there was the body of a fisherman killed by gunfire and two others injured.
The deceased fisherman Osman Gani was a crew member on a trawler owned by Saiful Company from the Bazarpada area. The two injured fishermen were also from that trawler.
The owners of the five boats that were captured are Matiur Rahman, son of Muslim Mia from Mistripara in Shahpari Island (two boats), Abdullah, son of the late Ali Hossain, his brother Ata Ullah, and Mohammad Achem, son of Sheikh Majhi from Uttarpara.
Matiur Rahman mentioned that the trawler with the deceased fisherman arrived at the Shapuree Island jetty at 2:30pm. In the afternoon, the other five trawlers and fishermen returned from Saint Martin's. The Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Navy are gathering information by talking to the fishermen. The trawler will also be brought from Saint Martin's to the Shapuree Island jetty.
Saiful, the trawler owner, stated that while fishing at sea, members of the Myanmar Navy suddenly chased and opened fire, capturing the six boats and taking the crew to Myanmar. One of the three injured from his trawler died. The trawler was released on Thursday morning.
An officer in charge of the Coast Guard at Shapuree Island (who wished to remain anonymous) confirmed that after discussions with the Myanmar Navy, five trawlers were released on Thursday afternoon. These five trawlers and their crew will be brought to the Shahpari Island jetty on Friday morning.
