Ten fishermen allegedly abducted in the Sundarbans for ransom

Forest bandits have allegedly abducted 10 fishermen who had gone fishing in the Sundarbans, demanding ransom for their release. They were taken from different river areas of the Satkhira range in the western Sundarbans between Friday evening and Sunday morning.

The abductions took place in the Notabeki, Agunjala, Jaldhaka, Chaltebere and Raimangal river areas. Relatives of the fishermen and some fishermen who returned from the abductors' clutches said the men were taken by two gangs identifying themselves as led by Amir Ali of Gabura union in Shyamnagar upazila and Alom Sana of Datinakhali village.

The abducted fishermen are Rubel, Imran and Khorshed of Dumuria village, Nuruzzaman of Chhoto Vetkhali village, Siddik Gazi and Zahur Ali of Kalinchi village, Surat Ali of Singharatali village in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira, and Momin Morol, Didarul and Imran of Koyra upazila in Khulna.

Relatives and the returned fishermen, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were three fishermen in each boat, and one fisherman was abducted from each boat. A ransom of one lakh taka per head has been demanded for the release of each of them, including Nuruzzaman, Didarul and Imran.

Shahinur Islam, assistant forest conservator of the Satkhira range, said they learned about the abduction of several fishermen through other fishermen. A patrol team of the Forest Department is conducting operations inside the Sundarbans.

He said, however, that it is difficult for the Forest Department alone to conduct operations against forest bandits in such a vast forest area.

Safiul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shyamnagar police station, said that when fishermen are held hostage, their families usually reach a settlement with the abductors in secret. For that reason, fishermen who return after being freed often do not want to give information to law enforcement.

Police are, however, trying to identify the owner of the mobile phone number used to collect the ransom money and arrest those involved.

Abductions of fishermen who go fishing in the Sundarbans are not new. Although the Forest Department and police conduct operations to rescue fishermen from forest bandits, their activities in the vast forest area cannot be stopped.

The families of the abducted fishermen are now under pressure to arrange the ransom money. With a demand of one lakh taka per head, they are spending their days in extreme anxiety.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department patrol team is continuing its operation inside the Sundarbans, and police are trying to identify and arrest those involved.