Pirates loot 22 trawlers, abduct 35 crews
Our Correspondent, Barisal
Pirates looted at least 22 trawlers, abducted 13 fishermen along with three trawlers and left 35 crews wounded in the Bay during hours between Friday noon to early Saturday.It was the first block piracy since opening of the coast guard posts at Katka and Kachikhali areas in the Sundarbans. Two bullet-injured crews-- Zafar, 31, and Manir, 26-- of the looted trawler FB Shahjalal were admitted to the Patharghata upazila hospital and later sent to the Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital yesterday. Victims said a gang of armed pirates, riding on trawlers, swooped on the fishermen at the Narikelbaria area of the Bay at around 12:30pm Friday. The pirates indiscriminately beat up the crews and fishermen, opening fire on other fleeing trawlers. No coastguard was found during the 13-hour long block piracy.
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