It has been alleged that the forest rangers looted goods worth Tk 3 lakh including fish and cash by raiding a trawler in the Sundarbans. After that, they left 13 fishermen in the deep forest, so that tigers, crocodiles can attack and kill them.
However, after tackling wild animals in the forest for three days, those fishermen came back alive. They described these horrific incidents during a press conference at the Mongla Press Club on Tuesday.
The aggrieved fishermen gave a poignant account of the looting and beating of the forest rangers in the middle of the forest.
Fisherman and trawler owner Abdur Rashid said in a written statement that on May 8, 13 fishermen went to the deep sea in two trawlers with a valid pass permit from the Forest Department’s Dubla Forest.
They took refuge in the Behala coal canal in the Sundarbans as the sea became rough due to storm Amphan. That evening, Akhtaruzzaman, an officer at the Burigoalini Forest Station in the western Sundarbans, forest rangers Russell, Kawsar, Amjad and 3-4 other forest rangers, including Asad, a boatman from the forest department, got into their trawlers, beat them up and looted 45,000 taka.
Fishermen were also intimidated as forest rangers fired blank shots with rifles. The valid pass permit of the forest department that was with them was snatched away.
The forest rangers demanded 2 lakh taka more, as those 13 fishermen did not have more money, they were left in the deep forest so that tigers and crocodiles could kill them.
The fishermen complained that their trawlers were stuck and the forest rangers were still demanding bribe money. It has caused a loss of more than Tk 10 lakh. It is impossible for them to survive with their families without financial compensation.
When asked about the allegations, Akhtaruzzaman, an official at the Burigoalini Forest Station in the western Sundarbans, said, “I am in an auction right now. I will talk to you later”. Then after trying several times, our correspondent could not contact him on phone.