No trace of 15 fishermen from Bhola after two weeks at sea

Fifteen fishermen who set out to sea from Char Madraz in Char Fashion upazila of Bhola district have remained missing for 12 consecutive days.

The missing individuals include: Faruk Majhi, Alam Majhi, Masud, Abdul Malek, Md. Faruk, Nurullah, and nine others. All of them are residents of Dhaligaurnagar Union under Lalmohan Upazila.

According to boat owner Delwar Hossain, the fishing trawler 'Ma Babar Doa' left the Samraj Matsyaghat area on November 10 around 8.00pm, carrying 15 fishermen with five days’ worth of food supplies. The boat was led by Majhi Faruk. 45. Shortly after departure, Faruk’s mobile phone was found switched off, raising early concerns among the families.

Delwar stated that he attempted to file a general diary (GD) and submitted a written complaint to the Char Fashion Police Station last Monday. However, the station’s officer-in-charge Mizanur Rahman said no GD had been officially recorded as of yet.

Despite the confusion over the GD filing, Char Fashion Police Station confirmed the report of the missing fishermen and stated that all necessary legal procedures are being initiated to locate and rescue them.

Families say they have been living in constant fear and emotional turmoil since losing contact with the crew. “We spend our days crying and waiting for any news,” said one family member.

Abdur Razzak, son of Majhi Faruk, said he has filed a GD, contacted relatives, and posted appeals on social media, but no information on the fate of the fishermen has emerged. “Still, we have not received any news,” he said.

Local authorities and families continue to plead for immediate action to locate the vessel and bring the missing fishermen home safely.