Joint anti-piracy drive in coastal areas from today

In the latest such incident, four fishermen were reportedly abducted from Latakhali in Monpura on September 4 and feared killed.

The operation was scheduled to begin yesterday, but delayed as the naval force was not deployed in time.

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When contacted yesterday, the Barisal Deputy Commissioner told this corespondent that he sent an urgent message and expects the naval force would reach the area by this morning.

The district law and order review committee at a meeting at Bhola on Tuesday with state minister in charge of the district Mosarraf Hossain Shahjahn in the chair discussed the situation.

Bhola Police Superintendent Mallick Fakrul Islam will coordinate the operation and Commander Lt. Roisuddin Ahmed will be in charge of Coast Guard personnel, sources said.

The combing operation will cover the five upazilas of Monpura, Charfesson, Lalmohan, Borhanuddin, Tazumuddin and Daulatkhan and their territorial waters to nab pirates and trace the abducted fishermen, dead or alive, the sources said.

Police teams from Barisal, Bhola, Laxmipur, Ramgoti and Noakhali have joined the operation.

Talking to this correspondent Bhola Additional SP Lutfar Rahman expressed hope about success of the operation.

But local people and fishermen said constant vigilance is needed to stop piracy. Pirates go into hiding during such temporary operation and later reappear with more strength, they said.

If pirates are arrested, their godfathers become active to free them, they said.

The four fishermen reportedly abducted on September 4 have been identified as Hazi Abu Taher, 50, Yusuf Dalal, 40, Alam Majhi, 38 and Kalu 17.

Some sources claimed that they were abducted by a gang led by Joynal Speaker. The fishermen were killed and bodies thrown into the deep sea, they claimed.

The victims' relatives tried to lodge cases with Monpura thana, but police declined to take any case, the sources alleged.