According to the report pirates have looted nearly 50 fishing trawlers in a mass piracy at the bay on early Tuesday and abducted at least 50 fishermen and crews as hostages demanding ransom. Some of the victims and witnesses returned from the spot to Kuakata shore on Tuesday.
The incident described that Faruk Munshi, 35, crew of fishing trawler FB Tin Vai, who feared to be shot dead as he was thrown to sea after receiving bullet injury and at least another 4 reconceived bullet injuries by the pirates. Faruk Munshi was son of Ismail Munshi of Chandu Para village under Lalua union of coastal Kalapara upazila of Patukhali district and his dead body yet to be recovered.
As per sources the retuned fishermen said 20-25 members of two notorious armed pirate gangs named Abbas-Raju and Krishna-Sagor Bahini boarding on two speedy trawlers attacked fishing boats at 25-30 kilometers south-west from Kuakata shore of the Bay on early Tuesday. The pirates looted valuable worth Tk.50 lakhs including mobile phones, fuel, fish, and cash money from the fishing boats, the victims said.
The pirates demand Tk 2,00,000 as ransom to be deposited in their bank accounts immediately as first installments and later rest amounts after negotiations to free the hostages, trawler owners association sources said. Fazlu Gazi and Golam Mustafa, president and secretary of local fish merchant association of Mohipur fishing port, alleged inactiveness of the law enforcers including Coast Guard and Navy, fishing at the coastal area and deep sea has become too much unsafe for the fishermen.
