33 fishermen remain missing in Bay

At least 33 fishermen remain missing in the Bay of Bengal along the coast of Kuakata after rough tides capsized their fishing boats yesterday.

Five survivors of the capsized boats returned ashore this noon, our Patuakhali correspondent reports quoting local sources.

Ansar Uddin Mollah, president of Fish traders association in Alipur, a fish landing station under Kalapara upazila, and chairman for Latachaplee union parishad, confirmed the development.

He told journalists, four trawlers capsized about 20km of Kuakata beach and at least 38 fishermen were in these trawlers.

Babul, a returned fisherman, told reporters: “We along with others headed for Alipur. The weather became rough but on the way four trawlers capsized Thursday afternoon.”

“We five fishermen stayed on the water for an hour before another fishing trawler rescued us. We can’t say about fate of others missing fishermen.”

It has been learned that several hundred fishing boats and trawlers headed out to catch Hilsa about five or six days ago.