Myanmar Navy detains 22 Bangladeshi fishers on four trawlers

Fishing trawler - A pair of fishing trawlers are in rest at Kuakata sea beach. Shafiul. Creative Commons.

Cox’s Bazar, Nov 20 - Twenty-two Bangladeshi fishermen were detained and their four trawlers were seized Saturday by members of the Myanmar Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

Saint Martin Union Parishad Chairman Nur Ahmed said Myanmar Navy seized four of the trawlers owned by residents  of the area with the 22 fishermen on board  around 10am Saturday, from the east side of the island when they were out in the sea fishing.

Border Guard of Bangladesh and the Coast Guard have been informed about the incident, said the chairman.

According to local fishermen, those 22 fishermen went in the sea around Friday evening on trawlers owned by Nurul Amin, Md Azim, Md Hossain and Md Younus.

Some members of Myanmar Navy crossed the maritime boundary on Saturday morning and took control of the trawlers at gunpoint, they said.

Trawler owner Md Azim said his trawler was taken with six fishermen onboard, along with the other three trawlers.

An official from the Coast Guard’s Saint Martin station said it is being investigated whether the detained fishermen were Bangladeshi citizens or members of the Rohingya community.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Parvez Chowdhury said BGB and Coast Guard will take actions in this regard after investigation. - UNB