Fishermen demand steps to check robbery in Bay

Several hundred fishermen formed a human chain at Sheikh Russel Square in Pathorghata upazila town at around 11:00am yesterday, demanding immediate steps to check robbery in the Bay.

They also submitted a memorandum to the minister for home affairs through the upazila nirbahi officer in this regard.

Different organisations, including Barguna District Fishing Trawler Owners' Association, Trawler Labourers' union, Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation Ghat Labour Union and fishermen took part in the hour-long human chain.

They also announced six-point demand at the programme. The demands include necessary steps to free the Bay from robbers, who are involved in killing, kidnapping and torturing of fishermen.

At a street corner meeting, Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna District Fishing Trawler Owners' Association, said a gang of robbers recently kidnapped and shot dead a fisherman named Ismail Hossain at Kachikhali area in the Bay. They also kidnapped another fisherman named Reaz Hossain, who is still untraced.

We want arrest and punishment of the culprits as soon as possible, he added.

Md Alam Mollah, a trawler owner, said robbers often kidnap fishermen and then demand ransom from their families. If the ransom is not paid they kill the fishermen or torture them inhumanly.