1 killed, 2 injured as Myanmar Navy opens fire, detains Bangladeshi fishermen

TBS Report

10 October, 2024

1 killed, 2 injured as Myanmar Navy opens fire, detains Bangladeshi fishermen

Five trawlers and 60 fishermen are still in the custody of Myanmar authorities

Bangladesh Coast Guard personnel tend to a group of fishermen, released by the Myanmar Navy, following their arrival at the Shah Porir Dwip jetty in Teknaf on Thursday, 10 October, 2024. Photo: TBS

A fisherman has been shot dead and two others received gunshot wounds after Myanmar Navy personnel chased and opened fire at several Bangladeshi fishing trawlers near Saint Martin’s Island in the Bay of Bengal as they forcibly took the vessels into Myanmar’s maritime territory.

Myanmar Navy vessels chased six trawlers carrying more than 60 fishermen and crew from the Moulvir Shil confluence point of the Bay of Bengal, southwest of Saint Martin’s Island, into their territory at around 2:30pm yesterday (9 October), said officials and trawler owners.

One of the trawlers, carrying the deceased, two injured and nine other fishermen, was released by the Myanmar Navy and handed over to Bangladesh Coast Guard today (10 October), Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Adnan Chowdhury confirmed to The Business Standard.

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He said the trawler, owned by Saiful Company, arrived at the Shah Porir Dwip jetty at around 2:30pm today. “The other five trawlers and 60 fishermen and boatmen are still in the custody of Myanmar authorities. We have notified the higher-ups about this situation.”

UNO Adnan said the six trawlers from Shah Porir Dwip were fishing on the Bangladesh side of the Bay when Myanmar Navy personnel opened fire and detained all the fishermen of the vessels, resulting in the fisherman’s death and injuries of two others.

The deceased identified as Md Osman and the two injured, yet to be identified, worked on the trawler owned by Saiful.

Saiful said Myanmar Navy boats suddenly chased the six trawlers and opened fire without any provocation when the fishermen on the vessels were busy fishing on this side of the Bay. They then took the trawlers and the people onboard to Myanmar, when bullet-hit Osman died.

Motiur, the owner of another trawler, said that they were unable to contact the abducted fishermen of the five trawlers and were hoping to get more news about them once Saiful’s trawler reached Shah Porir Dwip.

A Bangladesh Coast Guard officer stationed at Shah Porir Dwip, asking not to be named, confirmed the incident and casualties. “One fisherman has been shot dead and three others have been injured. We are waiting for the released trawler to arrive.

“We have also heard that they [Myanmar Navy] have released the other trawlers as well. Details will be known once the first trawler arrives.”