Pirates abduct 20 crab catchers

Pirates abducted 20 crab catchers from the Latabari and Ilshemari canals in the Sundarbans on Saturday.
The pirates demanded Tk 2, 00, 000 as ransom from the victims' families for their release.
The crab catchers are now held hostage in the deep forest, relatives of the victims said adding the gang is demanding Tk 10,000 for release of each of them.
Four days have been set as the deadline for payment of the ransom, failing which they will face 'dire consequences,' they said quoting some fishermen who were released on payment of ransom.
The crab catchers had gone to the Sundarbans on October 14 on three boats taking permission from the Kadamtala forest office.
The attack by the pirates came while they were catching crabs in the Latabari and Ilshemari canals in the forest.
The gang looted their cash and other valuables and abducted them for ransom, said Abdur Rahman, 50, one of the released crab catchers of Tengrakhali village in Shyamnagar upazila.
The identities of four out of 20 abducted crab catchers were known. They are Hridoy Mondal, 37, Rafiqul Islam, 40, and Sukumar Mondal, 25, of Chunkari village and Abdur Rahman, 50, of Tengrakhali village in Shyamnagar upazila. Rest 16 hail from Parshemari and Napitkhali villages of same upazila.
The relatives of the victims said that the pirates are sending messages for payment of the ransom or receive the bodies after the deadline. They urged the law enforcing agencies to take immediate measure to release the victims.
Contacted, Kadamtala forest station officer Shahadat Hossain in the Sundarbans said they will try to rescue the victim crab catchers with the help of police.
Officer in-charge (OC) of Shyamnagar PS Hashem Khan said they have heard about the incident 'but none came to the police station to file any case'.