Coastguards rescue 150 fishermen from forest robbers' den

Members of Bangladesh Coastguard (BCG) rescued 150 abducted fishermen busting a den of forest robbers in Machar Point area of the Sundarbans under Mongla upazila on Friday night.
Lieutenant Commander Mostafizur Rahman, staff officer (operation) of BCG, Mongla (West Zone), told the news agency that when the fishermen, on their way to Dublar Char, reached Bhadrar Khal area of the Sundarbans in the afternoon, a gang swooped on their trawler.
The robbers looted valuables from the trawler and picked up the fishermen, 150 in number, and took them to their den.
On information, a team of BCG launched a drive in the area, raided deep forest at night and rescued the fishermen along with a trawler.
The robbers, however, managed to flee the scene sensing the presence of the Coastguard personnel.
The rescued fishermen hailed from different areas of Bagerhat and Khulna districts.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, armed robbers kidnapped around 50 fishermen along with three fishing trawlers and looted valuables following an attack in the waters off Patharghata coast.
The kidnapped fishermen hailed from different villages in Bagerhat Sadar upazila.
District Fishermen Trawler Owners Association sources said, the armed gang swooped on around 20 trawlers and kidnapped over 50 fishermen along with three fishing trawlers -- FB Golapful, FB Sandhani-2 and FB Nurbanu -- in Sonarchar area, 120 kilometre south-east of Patharghata upazila.
The gang looted valuables including fishes and fishing nets worth about Tk 10 lakh.