28 abducted, 25 trawlers looted in 4 days in Bay
Fishermen in the Bay feel insecure as pirates looted nets, Hilsha fish, fuel and cash worth about Tk 1 crore from 25 trawlers and abducted 28 fishermen for ransom in last four days.
Fishermen brought their freedom after negotiation and returned to Kuakata and Pathorghata areas.
On October 6, an armed gang looted Hilsha fish, fuel and cash from trawler FB Nahid after throwing all the 16 fishermen into the Bay water. Another trawler rescued them after four hours.
The same day another gang kidnapped 28 from trawlers FB Janasi, FB Molla, FB Mohima and FB Kabir when they were fishing at about 50 Kilometres from Pathorghata under Barguna district. Pirates brought them to the Sundarbans and demanded Tk 20,000 as ransom. Kidnapped fishermen communicated with their relatives over cell phone and later they bought freedom after paying Tk 5,000 each.
On October 7 the gang attacked FB Sapan and looted Hilsha fish, fuel and cash from the trawler. They injured 13 fishermen when they tried to resist.
The pirates keep abducted fishermen at their camps in the Sundarbans and release them after getting money as per demand, said fisherman Zakir Hossain.
A Coast Gourd official in Bhola told this correspondent over cell phone that they are making preparations to start action against the pirates in the Bay despite shortage of vessels.
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