Bangladeshi trawler fired again from Myanmar

On the Teknaf-Saint-Martin sea route, a cargo trawler on its way from Teknaf to Saint-Martin was again fired upon. No one was injured. However, the owner of the trawler claimed that 7 bullets hit the trawler in different places.

The incident took place on Saturday afternoon in an area called Naikxyongdia in Badramokam estuary of Naf river.

Abdur Rashid, president of St. Martin Service Trawler Owners Association and the owner of that trawler confirmed this.

He said, at 11 o'clock on Saturday, the SB Rafia with four sailors loaded various goods from the Kayukkhalia canal of Teknaf Municipality and left for Saint Martin. About an hour and a half later, when the trawler reached the Badramokam area of ​​the Teknaf-Saint Martin route, indiscriminate firing was fired at the trawler from Myanmar's Naikxyongdia. Then the other midshipman in the trawler fell asleep. At that time 20-30 shots were fired at SB Rafia. Later the trawler's majhi (driver) Mohammad Belal turned it around and anchored it at Shahpari's island jetty.

A sailor of that trawler said that on the night of June 5, more than a hundred shots were fired at the same trawler when it was returning from St. Martin Island with the election officials and equipment of the suspended upazila parishad election center. No one was injured in the incident. Today again, 20 to 30 shots were fired at the trawler from the coast of Myanmar while it was going to Saint Martin with goods. Later the trawler was anchored at Shahpari Island Jetty for safe shelter.

In this regard, Chairman of Saint Martin Union Parishad, Mujibur Rahman said, about 12 thousand people are living in Saint Martin Island. The only supply of daily necessities of these people comes from Teknaf through this sea route. For a few days, the firing of service trawlers plying in this waterway from the Myanmar border has created panic among the local residents. VGD or VGDF rice cannot be brought from Teknaf. Shipping is closed in between. We are drawing the attention of the government to strengthen the patrolling of Bangladesh Coast Guard and BGB in the area to normalize trawler movement in this navigable route.

Meanwhile Teknaf 2 BGB battalion captain Lt. Colonel Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed said, I heard about the shooting. The Myanmar border guard is in the process of sending a protest letter to the BGP protesting the firing on the service trawler.

UNO of Teknaf upazila. Adnan Chowdhury said that the communication between Teknaf and Saint Martin has been closed for two days due to the rough sea. Meanwhile, the trawler owners have been asked to maintain a safe distance for the incident of firing targeting the service trawler from Myanmar.

Bangladesh /MP