Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) released five Bangladeshi fishermen after six hours into their detention from the Naf River in Teknaf upazila yesterday. During the raid, BGP also shot another fisherman in the leg when he was escaping the detention. Later, he got admitted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital. After the fishermen were handed over to Bangladesh authorities, a mobile court of the Teknaf upazila administration jailed each of them for three months for trespassing into Myanmar’s waters. The fishermen are Shah Alam, 34, Muhammud Islam, 30, of Kanjarpara village, Year Muhammad, 36, Pethan Ali, 30, Aziz Ullah, 18, and Md Rafiq, 28, of Jaliapara village of the upazila. According to bullet-injured Muhammad Islam, a group of six fishermen went to fishing in early hours yesterday. Suddenly, they were attacked by BGP men who came on a speed boat and taken to their camp. However, Islam managed to flee and was shot during the escape, he said. Samsul Alam, brother of fisherman Shah Alam, alleged, The BGP often attacks and captures Bangladeshi fishermen in the bordering area for ransom, and it has become regular. Confirming the incident, Captain of BGB battalion-2 Lt Col SM Ariful Islam said that after knowing the incident, they protested the detention and sat for a dialogue with BGP. The government banned fishing in the river [Naf] so that Yaba trafficking cannot take place. It is not expected from the fisherman to go fishing in the area, the official said.
2018 / thedailystar.net