Fishermen helpless in the bay of Bengal

Within a space of a fortnight another gang dacoity was committed in 50 fishing trawlers in the Bay of Bengal on the night of Thursday, according to a report received here. It is learnt from the sources of Fishermen’s associations of Bagerhat, Sharankhola

and Mahipur that a fleet of about 100 fishing trawlers were catching hilsa from the

Bay of Bengal out side the buoy No.1 in the early hours of Thursday a gang of armed

jungle pirates belonging to Jahangir Bahini appeared there by two speeding trawlers and

attacked the fishing trawlers.

It is learnt from Abul Hossain, president of Sharankhola Fishermen’s Association

that the jungle pirates kidnapped 50 Majhis (drivers of fishing trawlers) in order to

realize ransom from them. He adds that before that they (jungle pirates) committed

gang dacoity in at lest 50 fishing trawlers and looted hilsa, fishing equipments, diesel

oil, mobile sets and other valuables worth Tk.1 crore. It is mentionable here that only a

fortnight ago jungle pirates belonging to Shrsha Bahini (another gang of notorious jungle

pirates) kidnapped 50 fishermen from the same place of the Bay of Bengal with a view to

realizing ransom. But they are yet to be released. – Our Correspondent