None of 77 kidnapped fishermen rescued yet
Pirates demand Tk one lakh ransom for each victim
None of the 77 fishermen, kidnapped for ransom by pirates from coastal areas off Patuakhali and Barguna districts on July 5 and 6, are yet to be rescued.
The pirates had demanded Tk one lakh as ransom for release of each kidnapped fisherman but the victims' families are too poor to meet the demand.
They have urged immediate step by law enforcement agencies to rescue the fishermen.
During the attacks from afternoon on Monday last to Tuesday morning, pirate gangs Raju Bahini, Zulfikar Bahini and Mujahid Bahini looted hilsa fish, cash and fuel worth over Tk 20 lakh from 50 trawlers about 40 km to the south of Kuakata in Patuakhali.
Afterwards the gang kidnapped 50 fishermen and went towards the Sundarbans, said the fellow fishermen who returned after the incident.
The gang demanded Tk one lakh as ransom to free each of the kidnapped fishermen and threatened to kill them in case of failure to meet the demand within two days, they said.
Bullet-hit during the incident, fisherman Kalu Howlader, 35, later received treatment at Mohipur health centre in Kalapara upazila. Faruq Howlader, 30, another bullet injured fisherman of Mithaganj village in Kalapra upazila, is still missing.
Pirates also looted 30 other trawlers from Pathorghata of Barguna district and kidnapped at least 27 fishermen demanding ransom of Tk one lakh per fisherman, said Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna District Fishing Trawler Owners Association.
"I am very worried about my son's fate as pirates' deadline for releasing them is already over. We have no ability to pay ransom as demanded by the gang. Law enforcers should take immediate step to release the kidnapped fishermen from the pirate gangs in Sundarbans," said Abdur Rob, 45, of Laplee village, also father of kidnapped fisherman Jalil.
Wife of another kidnapped fisherman Jahirul, Aysa Begum, 28, of Mithaganj village under Kalapara upazila, said, "My husband is the only earning member of our family consisting of six members. My children are crying for food. We are poor and landless. Where can I get so much money to release my husband from pirates?"
"Every year, pirate gangs kidnap our fishermen from the sea and we have to pay them toll. Law enforcement agencies should take necessary steps against pirate gangs as hilsa fish brings foreign currencies to our country," said Fazlu Gazi, president of Mohipur Hilsa Traders Association.
When contacted, Lt Musfiqur Rahman, Navy contingent commander in Pathorghata, said, "We have started searching in the Sundarbans to rescue the fishermen from the pirates. Following our request, West Zone contingent has also started search there. We are hopeful that we will be able to rescue all the abducted fishermen."
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