Myanmar boats in Bangladesh water reported
Many fishing boats from neighbouring Myanmar were reported to have entered the territorial waters of Bangladesh, officials said yesterday, adding that coastguard and naval forces launched searches for the boats in probable spots along the maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
Coastguard Operation Officer Lieutenant Commander Jasimuzzaman told The Daily Star that around 12:30pm, they were informed that some trawlers from Myanmar were fishing in the Bay in Bangladesh territory.
"The fisheries department informed it," he said, adding that the coastguard patrol boats rushed to possible spots and started searching, but were yet to locate the foreign boats.
He said coastguard members already started interrogation and gathering information from the locals and Bangladeshi fishermen who regularly go fishing in the Bay.
"Coastguards men from four outposts -- Saint Martin station, Teknaf station, Cox's Bazar station, and Shahpuri station -- have rushed to the reported maritime spots with the patrol boats", said Jasim.
"Our forces are alert and they started the search around 1:30pm."
The coastguard official said, "There are many canals flowing from Myanmar into the Bay through which the fishermen from that country probably entered our maritime territory. But we could not have traced them as yet."
"We have heard the news from our higher authority too and on direction, our force will continue its search."
As the two countries have many maritime spots overlapping one another, the Myanmar fishermen have scopes to enter Bangladesh territory, he said. "But if we can trace, of course, our force will confine them."
Naval patrol ships also started their search in the reported spots along with coastguard, said Jasim.
Contacted, Naval Operation Officer Lieutenant Commander Yusuf told The Daily Star that they were also informed of the news by their high authority.
On directives of the high command from the headquarters, a naval ship is patrolling the reported spots, he said. But he did not give any detail where the navy ship was at that moment.
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