Sundarbans: More than 10,000 dry-fish processing fishermen in Dubla Char of the Sundarbans have ceased fishing activities in the sea and rivers since Wednesday evening due to renewed fears of pirate activities. The fishermen’s decision follows the alleged abduction of 20 fishermen on Monday night, whose whereabouts have remained unknown for the past two days.
According to United News of Bangladesh, President of the Dubla Fishermen Group, Md Kamal Uddin Ahmed, expressed concerns over the lack of adequate security in the Sundarbans and adjacent sea areas, which has left fishermen terrified of potential abductions. He reported that over 10,000 fishermen engaged in dry-fish processing have stopped their operations and are currently idle on the char.
Kamal Uddin further alleged that four pirate groups, identified as Jahangir, Suman, Sharif, and Karim Bahini, are active in the region, abducting fishermen and demanding ransom for their release. He claimed that those unable to pay are subjected to severe beatings, with at least four fishermen recently admitted to Rampal Hospital following pirate attacks.
Despite the government’s declaration in 2018 that the Sundarbans were pirate-free, piracy has resurfaced under the interim administration, said Kamal Uddin. Motasim Forazi, president of the Rampal Fishermen’s Association, highlighted the growing challenges, stating that fishing has become nearly impossible due to the piracy threat.
The situation is exacerbated by reports of more than 100 fishermen being held captive, with several abductions occurring in the past 15 days. The 20 fishermen abducted on Monday night remain untraced, although the pirates left a mobile number for contact, according to Forazi.
Officials from the Forest Department have expressed concern over the economic impact of the halted fishing activities. Forest Ranger Milton Roy, Officer-in-Charge of the Dubla Patrol Outpost, warned of a significant revenue shortfall as a result of the suspension. Similarly, Forest Ranger Md Khalilur Rahman from the Sharankhola Forest Station noted that no fishermen are currently obtaining fishing permits due to pirate fears, which is expected to severely impact the division’s monthly revenue target.
Local traders in Sharankhola market, such as Jalal Molla, Anwar Saudagar, and Ripon Hawlader, reported a decline in business as fishermen are refraining from heading to the forest. Assistant Conservator of Forests Md Shariful Islam stated that the rise in pirate activities has been reported to higher authorities and that forest guards are actively working to ensure the safety of fishermen.