18 Kuakata fishermen missing in the Bay for 22 days

Eighteen fishermen have been missing for 22 days in the Bay of Bengal after they went fishing with their trawler from Kuakata of Patuakhali on December 9.

They are: Md Najrul Islam (64) alias Najir Majhi, Al-Amin (21), Shakil (14), Shamim (38), Tofazzal Hossain Fakir (52), Ramzan Talukder (50), Shah Alam (40), Aziz (43), Khalil (39), Hossain (38), Hafizullah (50), Kashem (50), Yusuf (42), Babul (42), Abul Kashem (42), Kabir Hossain (42), Bablu (42) and Sree Jagannath (48). They hailed from different areas under Patuakhali, Borguna and Laxmipur districts.

Hanif Khalifa, owner of the fishing trawler FB Al-Hasan, lodged a general diary (GD) in this connection with Mahipur Police Station on December 30, said Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of the station.

"We are looking into the matter," the OC added.

According to the GD, the fishermen left Monowara Ghat in Mahipur near Kuakata on the trawler on December 9 evening and since then there has not been any communication between the fishermen and their relatives, the trawler owner.

"The trawler engine might have stopped running and it might have floated towards India or Myanmar, or they might also come under attack by sea robbers. We are very worried," said Md Nasir Uddin, son of Md Nazrul Islam.

"Search for the missing fishermen is on. We have informed Coast Guard and Navy in this regard. Also, trawlers will be sent to the sea to look for the missing fishermen," said Md Ansar Uddin Molla, president of Kuakata Alipur Fish Warehouse Owners Co-operative Association.