Staff Reporter :
At least 98 fishermen, who ventured into the Bay of Bengal in six trawlers, went missing near the coast of Borguna district in rough weather due to heavy rains triggered by a deep depression.
The trawlers, each carrying over 16 fishermen, had gone to the sea for fishing a few days ago but the Borguna District Trawlers Owners Association lost contact with them till Sunday afternoon.
Mohammad Golam Mostofa Chowdhury, president of association, on Sunday said the six trawlers FB Noor Banu, FB Tamanna, FB Abdullah, FB Mehrin, FB Numana and FB Mayer Doa along with 98 fishermen on board have remained missing since Friday night.
He said all the missing fishermen hailed from different places of the district.
“We tried to maintain contact with the trawlers but got the information that six trawlers went missing. The missing trawlers had 98 fishermen on board. We are conducting a rescue operation and have sent our trawlers in the deep waters,” the president told journalists.
He said they were informed that there was a possibility of a cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal but failed to pass the information to the fishermen on time.
“Instantly, we have already informed the West zone coastguards about the present situation of the missing fishermen. The members of coastguards have also sailed to the spot to rescue the fishermen,” Golam Mostofa said.
However, the people of the coastal districts heaved a sigh of relief as the deep depression weakened and crossed the land near Sitakunda without causing any serious damage.
At least four fishermen were rescued from the sea near Saint Martin’s Island in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Sunday.
The four fishermen are Abdur Rahman, 50, Shamshul Alam, 25, Rahmatullah, 45, and Mohammad Amin, 24.
“They went to the sea in a trawler on Friday to net fish. But their trawler went out of order. The activities in country’s premier Seaport Chittagong swung into action after nearly 20 hours on Sunday.
The authorities kept ready all the jetties and receiving and delivery of goods started this evening after reaching the vessels at the jetty from outer anchorage which were anchored at the safer places during the depression, Jafar Alam (Member Operation) of the Chittagong port said.
Meanwhile, the deep depression over northeast bay and adjoining area moved north-northeastwards further, weakened into a depression before making landfall and crossed Chittagong coast near Sitakunda on Sunday morning. Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower local warning signal No. four but instead hoist local cautionary signal No. three.
Under the influence of depression southeastern part of Bangladesh is experiencing gusty winds with heavy falls. Sea will remain rough.
The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola and Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars experienced wind speed up to 40-50 kph in gusts/ squalls with heavy falls during the passage of the depression.
Under the influence of the depression, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts and their offshore islands and chars were inundated by wind driven surge of 1-2 feet height above normal astronomical tide. All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
