1 killed, 2 bullet wounded as Myanmar Navy opens fire at fishing trawlers

A fisherman was killed and two others received gunshot wounds after Myanmar Navy chased and opened fire at six Bangladeshi fishing trawlers near Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal, forcibly taking the vessels into Myanmar's maritime territory on Wednesday.

However, the trawlers and its 72 crewmembers (fishermen and boatmen) were released by the Myanmar authorities today.

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

The trawler, owned by Saiful Company, arrived at the Shah Porir Dwip jetty around 2:30pm, said Adnan. The five other trawlers with all fishermen also reached the jetty at Saint Martin's Island around 4pm, vessel owners said.

According to officials, trawler owners, and survivors, on Wednesday, a Myanmar Navy vessel carrying armed personnel suddenly opened fire at the trawlers while they were fishing in the Bay. The Myanmar authorities chased the trawlers from the Moulvir Shil confluence point of the Bay of Bengal, southwest of Saint Martin's Island, into their territory around 2:30pm.

UNO Adnan said the six trawlers from Shah Porir Dwip were fishing on the Bangladesh side of the Bay when they were fired on.

The deceased, identified as Md Osman, and the two injured, yet to be identified, worked on the trawler owned by Saiful, who said they were now busy with the burial of Osman and the treatment of the injured.

Boatman Nur Hamid, one of the survivors who works on Saiful's trawler, said 10-12 trawlers were fishing on the Bangladesh side of the maritime border when a Myanmar Navy speedboat with armed personnel chased them and opened fire. "Later, we were detained and taken to Myanmar. There, one of the fishermen who got shot died.

"They released us yesterday, including the deceased and injured, at around 10:30am. We managed to reach Shah Porir Dwip around 2:30pm."

Motiur Rahman, the owner of another trawler, said the five other trawlers arrived at Saint Martin's Island around 4pm. 

"The Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Navy are now collecting information from the fishermen of those vessels. Those trawlers will come to Shah Porir Dwip later," he added.

An officer of the Coast Guard stationed at Shah Porir Dwip, asking not to be named, also confirmed the incident, casualties and developments. "A fisherman has been shot dead and two others received bullet injuries in the incident. One trawler has already returned to Shah Porir Dwip with the body of the deceased," he said.

"Myanmar Navy have released the other trawlers as well after discussions. The media will be briefed later," he added.

Sub-Inspector Abul Kashem of River Police, Teknaf said, "Osman's body has been sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for an autopsy and procedures to take legal action are underway."