The abducted fishermen are Liakat Ali, Maruf, Abul Hossain, Abdus Sabur, Khoda Baksa, Dabir Uddin, Abul Kashem, Saddam, Montez and Akkaj Ali, all from Gabura area in Shyamnagar upazila.

Quoting relatives of victims police said, the fishermen went to the Sundarbans for fishing after taking permission of forest department on Wednesday. While they were fishing in the Tegrakhali canal, a gang of pirates came and demanded Tk 5 lakh. As they failed to pay, the pirates caught and took them to deep forest.

The relatives told police that the pirates threatened to kill the fishermen if the ransom is not paid within a week. A relative told local journalists that the pirates confined them in Pasurtala forest near the Indian border. He said the relatives are afraid about security of the fishermen as they did not get any information about their condition on Saturday.

On contact, Shyamnagar thana Officer-in-Charge Zahid Hossain confirmed the incident but a case was yet to be filed.

He said none came to lodge a complaint. He said steps were being taken to rescue the victims.