Boat blockade on Kholpetua river of Sundarbans demanding elimination of forest bandits

Coastal fishermen and bawalis have held a boat human chain and protest rally on the Kholpetua river in Shyamnagar of Satkhira with the one-point demand of eliminating forest bandits from the Sundarbans.

They took part in this programme with hundreds of boats at 11am on Monday (November 9). Local political personalities and representatives of civil society also took part expressing solidarity.

Speakers at the rally presided over by Chief Coordinator of the Forest Bandit Elimination Committee Salauddin Liton included Shyamnagar Upazila BNP Convener Md Solaiman Kabir, Upazila Jubo Dal Convener Shafiqul Islam Dulu, Ishwaripur Union BNP Convener Md Nuruzzaman, Gabura Union BNP Member Secretary Khairul Islam Milon, Gabura Union Jubo Jamaat President Yasin Arafat, UP Member GM Abiar Rahman, Farida Parveen, Master Abdur Rahim, Khalid Hossain, Parul Akhtar and fishermen Bablur Rahman, Sabur Ali, Omar Faruq and Saiful Islam.

At the programme fisherman Bablur Rahman said, “We have been continuing the movement and struggle for a long time. But we have not got any result yet. The administration is indifferent. Forest bandits are abducting fishermen from one area or another every day demanding ransom. Our fear has increased further as we took to the movement.”

Fisherman Sabur Ali said, “We have been going without food day after day as we cannot enter the Sundarbans. We are in a very difficult time with our families in fear that they will abduct us if we enter the Sundarbans. We did not see any visible step even after informing the administration repeatedly.”

Fisherman Omar Faruq said, “The government should eliminate the forest bandits, or if it cannot then arrange alternative employment for us. Otherwise what will we eat? We are spending days with our families without food day after day. The pictures of our movement have reached them. They are threatening us after seeing the pictures. We do not understand at all what we will do now.”

Shyamnagar Upazila BNP Convener Md Solaiman Kabir said he will meet the Forest and Environment Minister and place the sufferings of the fishermen for the elimination of forest bandits of the Sundarbans.

Coordinator of the Forest Bandit Elimination Committee Md Salauddin Liton said, “Today is the ninth day of the movement. But we have not yet seen any visible step from the administration. If the administration does not start the operation within a short time we will build a stricter movement than this.”

West Sundarbans Satkhira Range Officer Shahinur Rahman said they agree with the movement of the fishermen and bawalis. They are always ready to conduct operations against the forest bandits on the basis of specific information. Several forces are working for the elimination of forest bandits. They are also ready to conduct joint operations with them.

Incidentally, forest bandits also abducted 10 fishermen on Sunday after they went fishing in the Sundarbans demanding ransom.