26 fishermen abducted from the Bay

Armed robbers abducted about 26 fishermen from separate spots in the Bay of Bengal under Patharghata upazila of Barguna district early Saturday.

The gang, locally known as 'Bhai Bhai Bahini', attacked several trawlers at Pokkhidia point in the Bay between 1:30am to 9:30am, and abducted the fishermen, said Golam Mustafa, president of Patharghata Trawler Owners' Association.

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The goons also looted hilsa, fishing nets, fuel, foods and cash from the trawlers, some 50 kilometres off the coast in Patharghata, Mustafa added.

Eight of the 26 kidnapped fishermen were identified. They are Liton, 30, Rafique, 32, Jahangir, 36, Lal Mia, 40, Kalam Mia, 40, Kabir Mia, 38, Zafar Mia, 35, and Abdul Khaleque.

They hail from different villages in the upazila. Identity of the remaining fishermen could not be known as of 5:00pm yesterday.

The gang provided a mobile phone number to the trawler drivers to communicate with the ringleader of the gang and took the fishermen to somewhere in the Sundarbans, Mustafa further said.