The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A gang of armed pirates looting about 20 fishing trawlers abducted eleven crew and fishermen demanding ransom of taka 50 per head for the releases of the hostages on early Sunday night at Kachikhali area of the bay between Patharghata and Sundarbon coast.

Golam Mustafa Chowdhury, president of the Barguna district trawler owners association, stating these facts said that more than 20 fishing trawlers anchored and took shelter inside Kanchikali canal near Sundarbans coast due to stormy weather on Saturday evening.

A gang of armed pirates started attack on those trawlers on early Sunday night and looted valuables worth ten lakhs taka and took eleven fishermen and crew as hostages from those trawlers with them.

Crews of FB Nasir-1, one of the victimized trawlers after returning to Patharghata coast on Sunday noon telling the facts further said that the pirates directed the trawler owners to come Sundarbon coast hoisting special marked flags for giving per head Tk. 50 thousand to free the hostages as early as possible, Muustafa added.

Local administration and law and order enforcing authorities informed about the incident and till this report no initiative has been taken to recover and free the hostages and panic has been created among the fishermen after starting piracy in the bay as Hilsha catching season just resumed, he further told.