1 killed, 2 injured as Myanmar Navy ‘opens fire, abducts’ Bangladeshi fishermen
They identified the deceased as Md Osman, a fisherman of a trawler owned by Saiful Company of Shah Porir Dwip
A fisherman has been shot dead and two others received bullet wounds after Myanmar Navy personnel allegedly opened fire at several Bangladeshi fishing trawlers near Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal as they took them into Myanmar's maritime territory.
Myanmar Navy personnel forcibly took five fishing trawlers and more than 60 fishermen and crew from the Moulvir Shil confluence point of the Bay of Bengal, southwest of Saint Martin's Island, into their territory when the shooting happened at around 2pm yesterday (9 October), alleged the trawler owners.
They identified the deceased as Md Osman, a fisherman of a trawler owned by Saiful Company of Shah Porir Dwip. The two injured fishermen, yet to be identified, also work on the same trawler.
The four other trawlers are also owned by residents of Shah Porir Dwip. These trawlers were carrying 60 of the total number of fishermen and boatmen abducted by the Myanmar Navy, said trawler owners.
Saiful, who owns the trawler in which Osman and the three injured work, said Myanmar Navy boats suddenly chased the five trawlers and opened fire when the fishermen were catching fish at the Bay. They then took the trawlers and the people onboard to Myanmar, when bullet-hit Osman died.
He said the Myanmar Navy released his trawler today (10 October) and it was heading towards Shah Porir Dwip.
The trawler reached Shah Porir Dwip at around 2:40pm, carrying the deceased, the two injured and nine other fishermen.
Motiur, the owner of another trawler, said that they were unable to contact the abducted fishermen of the four trawlers and were hoping to get more news about them once Saiful's trawler reached Shah Porir Dwip.
A Bangladesh Coast Guard officer stationed at Shah Porir Dwip, asking not to be named, confirmed the incident and casualties. "One fisherman has been shot dead and three others have been injured. We are waiting for the released trawler to arrive.
"We have also heard that they [Myanmar Navy] have released the four other trawlers as well. Details will be known once the first trawler arrives."
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Adnan Hossain said they heard about the incident from various sources and were trying to gather details.