Sit-in for safe fishing in Bay

Fishermen demonstrating in front of Patharghata UNO office on Tuesday demanding safe fishing in the Bay. PHOTO: STAR

The protestors also demanded immediate end to attacks on them by trespasser Indian fishermen.

The also demanded regular navy and coast guard patrol and combing operation against pirates in coastal areas of five districts-- Barguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Bagerhut and Khulna.

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They emphasised transfer of Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard camps from Patharghata upazila town to piracy-prone Katka and Kachikhali areas of the Sundarbans coast.

The agitation was jointly arranged by associations of Barguna district trawler owners, workers, fishermen and fish traders.

A the fishermen began the sit-in in the morning, Patharghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abdul Awal tried to cool down them by giving assurance to fulfill the demands.

As he failed and the sit-in continued till 4-30 pm, local lawmaker Nurul Islam Moni, Barguna Deputy Commissioner Kazi Obaidur Rahman and Police Superinten-dent Md. Shakhawat Hossain rushed to the spot and assured them to fulfill their demands within seven days.

At least 41 fishermen were killed, several hundred injured and 1,800 fishermen abducted by pirates in this coastal areas since 2003, fishermen's associations claimed.

About1300 fishing trawlers were looted and several hundred taken away by the pirates during the period, they said.

Hilsha season has begun in the coastal areas but the authorities failed to give them protection, fishermen alleged.

Mustafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna district trawler owners association, said coastal areas from Biskhali-Baleswar estuary to Sundarbans forest coast and the Meghna estuary has become a safe haven for the pirates, who realise tolls at will from fishermen. Any body declining to pay is hijacked or thrown into the sea, he said.