One trawler--FB Kalam--sank and over 30 others were damaged and ransacked in the attack. The swoop continued for several hours, some of the injured fishermen told newsmen at Pathar-ghata Upazila Health Complex in Barguna district.

Following the incident, fishing in Patharghata, Sundarbans and Bublarchar coasts is stopped since Monday.

Amir Hossain, 55, of Kalmegha village in Patharghata, a cook at Bangladeshi trawler FB Alauddin, was shot dead in the attack. Amir Hossain's body was brought to Patharghata on the same day..

Seven of the 50 fishermen were admitted to Patharghata Health Complex with serious injuries from indiscriminate beating and hacking by the attackers. The rest were given first aid.

Retreating Bangladeshi trawlers have took refuge in safe areas in Dublarchar, Patharghata and Parerhat coasts, Golam Mustafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna District Trawler Owners Association and injured fisherman Nasir Majhi told newsmen at Patharghata health complex.

They said fishermen on board 20-25 big trawlers all of a sudden swooped on about 20 Bangla-deshi trawlers at about 12-30 pm. They also identified some of the Indian trawlers as FB Ma, FB Ganga, FB Sabita, FB Mayer Anchol, FB Vagaboti. The ransacked and damaged Bangladeshi trawlers included FB Aziz, FB Malik, FB Surma, FB Khalek, FB Madhu and FB Jahangir.

The injured fishermen at the health complex they said they fled away as the attackers fired shots indiscriminately from bigger and well equipped trawlers.

They claimed an Indian coast guard vessel was seen waiting at a distance during the attack. Fishermen on some of the attacking trawlers had also wireless sets, they claimed.

Nasir Majhi has lodged a case with Patharghata police station.

Police from Patharghata thana visited the damaged and ransacked trawlers anchored in the port.

The fishermen claimed that Bangladeshi territorial waters in Mandarbaria near Sundarban coast is virtually under the control of armed trespassers and Bangladeshis can not enter that fishing zone.