Myanmar’s border security force Nasaka abducted 21 Bangladeshi fishermen along with their six boats from the Naf river at Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar Friday night, confirmed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Ramzan Ali, owner of one of the seized boats, said 20 fishermen on five boats had been fishing in the river since that afternoon. In the evening, they had met with rough weather and made distress calls to their families over the mobile phone, he added.
Responding to help, Ramzan sent Abul Fazal with a trawler to rescue the fishermen.
When Fazal had reached the fishermen and was about to tug the boats to safety, Nasaka members appeared and took them away, said relatives of the victims.
The fishermen abducted are all from Jaliapara village of Teknaf. Contacted, Commander of BGB-42 Battalion Lt Col Zahid Hossain yesterday said they had strongly protested the incident and sent a letter to Nasaka urging for a flag meeting.
Nasaka was yet to respond, the BGB commander added.
2013 The Daily Star