Two fishermen abducted from Sundarbans’ Tiar Char

Two fishermen have been abducted from the remote Tiar Char area of the eastern Sundarbans by forest pirates, locals and family members have alleged.

The abductors, believed to be members of the Jahangir gang active in the area, also left behind a mobile phone number to demand ransom from the remaining fishermen.

The abduction took place around midnight on Saturday, January 10, and became known on Sunday after the kidnappers called to demand ransom.

The abducted fishermen are Abu Hanif, 32, and Khairul Islam, 30, both from the Khajura area of Ashashuni upazila in Satkhira. Their boat owner Md Mizan Bohoddar said the pirates attacked their boat around 11.30pm while they were fishing in the river and forcibly took the two men onto a trawler.

The incident has created panic among fishermen in the Shelar Char area. Khulna-based fish trader Arif Hossain Mithu said forest pirates have made life unbearable for fishermen and traders in the Sundarbans, forcing them to pay extortion money, with abductions carried out when payments are not made.

He said the Jahangir gang abducted four fishermen last month and released them only after Tk200,000 was paid in ransom. He called for stronger operations by RAB and the Coast Guard to curb pirate activities in the Sundarbans.

The abduction was confirmed by A Sabur, in-charge of the Shelar Char forest patrol outpost under the eastern Sundarbans forest division. Newly appointed Sharankhola range officer, ACF Md Shariful Islam, also said he was aware of the incident at Tiar Char.