The injured fishermen managed to return to shore at Patharghata around 8pm on Thursday, 25 hours after the attack, as the pirates had incapacitated the trawlers to delay their return, said Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of the Trawlers Owners’ Association of Patharghata in the district.
He said the armed attack by the pirates left at least 51 fishermen injured, with one of them suffering a gunshot wound.
The victims said five fishing trawlers namely FB Tufan-2, FB Madina-1, FB Ma-1, and FB Tarek-1 were fishing near the area between Dhal Char and Hatiya in the Bay when a group of 25–30 masked and armed pirates attacked them.
The pirates held the fishermen at gunpoint and looted fish, cash, and mobile phones worth Tk2 crore, they alleged.
When the fishermen tried to resist, the pirates beat them, and one of them, identified as Belal, was shot with a shotgun, the fishers said.
Despite the damage, the injured trawlers reached Patharghata on Thursday night.
The injured were taken to Patharghata Upazila Health Complex.
The bullet-hit Belal was shifted to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
The identities of the pirates remain unknown.
Mohammad Roknuzzaman Khan, UNO of Patharghata, said they were aware of the robbery in the Bay.
He said arrangements had been made for the treatment of the injured fishermen and that efforts were underway to identify the pirates.
