Bagerhat Correspondent :
Fishermen who took shelter along with their 13 fishing trawlers in the different canals of Katka Sanctuary Forest under Shrankhola Forest Range in the Eastern Division of Sundarbans (in Bagerhat district) when their fishing trawlers caught by a cyclonic swept over the Bay of Bengal on Friday were forced to pay Tk.39 thousand (Tk.3 thousand per trawler) to the forest guards after threatening of case filing against them on the charge of illegal intrusion in the sanctuary forest.
Mayeen Uddin, crew (Majhi) of fishing trawler “FB. Rabbi” of Hatiya, Hossain, crew of fishing trawler “FB. Omar” of Bhola area and Jahangir Hossain, owner of fishing trawler “FB. Meher Hasan” told, on Friday when their fishing trawlers were caught by a cyclonic storm created in the Bay of Bengal some 13 fishing trawlers of Hatiya and Chottogram areas took shelter at Katka sanctuary forest on Friday afternoon, They added, in the morning of Saturday they were taken to Katka forest office by the forest guards and asked to pay Tk.6 thousand for each trawler otherwise a case will be lodged against them. After a long request they agreed to take Tk.3 thousand per trawler through Bkas to the Bkas No.01759-915151 (mentioned by the forest guards) as illegal gratification. After getting the money they released all the 13 trawlers. Master Mayeen Uddin, owner of the fishing trawler “FB. Rabbi” of Htiya told over a mobile phone from Banglabazar of Hatiya, he sent a sum of Tk.3,060 from a mobile Bkash No. 01746-679938 to a Bkas number mentioned by the forest guards. Manik Mahmud, Officer-in-charge Katka forest office told, a number fishermen and fishing trawlers took shelter in Katka and later, they left the area. He denied the realization of money by the forest guards from the fishing trawlers. Md. Shahidul Islam (ACF), Officer-in-charge of Sharankhola Forest Range under the Eastern Division of Sundarbans told, necessary action will be taken against them if they are found guilty after a proper investigation into the matter.
