Six Bangladeshi fishermen were injured as Myanmar navy opened fire on their trawler in the Bay of Bengal near the St Martin’s Island yesterday morning. The injured fishermen are Osman Gani, 22, Rafiqul Islam, 30, and Nur Ahmed, 32, of Nuniar Chhara in the town, and Saiful Islam, 35, of Maheshkhali upazila. Names of two other victims could not be known immediately. Coast Guard and locals said 14 boatmen and fishermen on a fishing trawler owned by Md Rahim Sawdagor of Cox’s Bazar went to fish in the Bay four days ago. They were fishing on the east of Chhera Dwip near the St Martin’s yesterday. A Myanmar navy ship suddenly chased their trawler and opened fire on it. The fishermen tried to escape without their fishing net but could not leave unhurt. When the fishing trawler reached the St Martin’s ghat around 5:00pm locals and Coast Guard personnel took the injured to a local health complex. From there the victims were shifted to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex with bullet injuries in their legs, hands and other parts. Md Saiful Absar, Coast Guard official in charge at the St Martin’s, said the fishermen were in Bangladeshi waters when they came under attack.
2016 / thedailystar.net