Mob storms Coast Guard office in Mongla over alleged disappearance of fisherman
The incident occurred around 10am in the Sundarbans-adjacent Joymonir Thota area.
A temporary Coast Guard office in Joymonir Thota area of Mongla upazila in Bagerhat came under attack and vandalism last morning (11 June) after locals alleged that a fisherman had been forcibly disappeared by Coast Guard personnel.
The incident occurred around 10am in the Sundarbans-adjacent Joymonir Thota area.
Three Coast Guard members were injured, while around 20-25 local people also sustained injuries in the incident, according to the report
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To bring the situation under control, Coast Guard personnel fired several rounds.
Confirming the incident, Officer-in-Charge of Mongla Police Station, Atikur Rahman, said Coast Guard personnel used batons in self-defence after coming under attack with bricks.
In an official statement yesterday evening, Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon said the station was established to combat forest pirates and maintain security in the Sundarbans.
He alleged that "vested groups and unscrupulous elements" were carrying out planned attacks and misinformation campaigns to force the Coast Guard out of the area and disrupt its operations.
Mongla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sharmin Akter Sumi said additional police and RAB personnel had been deployed and that the situation was currently calm.
Locals alleged that fisherman Miraj Sheikh, 30, had been disappeared by Coast Guard members around three months ago.
They claimed that attempts to seek information about his whereabouts were met with threats and mistreatment, triggering the attack on the Coast Guard's temporary office.
According to Miraj's wife, Mukta Khatun, two men in plain clothes detained her husband from a tea stall in the area on 10 April and took him towards Mongla on a Coast Guard speedboat.
She later filed a general diary with Mongla Police Station on 23 April and sent letters to relevant authorities seeking an investigation into the incident.
Earlier, a press conference was also held at Mongla Press Club on 8 May seeking information about Miraj Sheikh.
Videos circulating on social media showed groups of men and women arriving by boats and trawlers carrying sticks and brooms before vandalising the Coast Guard station and a speedboat.
Fragmented video clips have also circulated on social media, showing Coast Guard personnel openly assaulting two individuals with batons and boots.
