Our Correspondent reported from Barisal that armed pirates looted and hijacked a fishing trawler along with its 18 crew and fishermen in the sea on October 21.

Four fishermen were thrown into the sea, two of the survivors told this correspondent at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (BSBMCH) on Saturday.

The twoSelim, 45 and Ali Hossain, 35were rescued by another trawler --FB Suktara--on October 22. They were brought to Alipur in Patuakhali on Saturday with marks of injury on their bodies and sent to BSBMCH.

They said the hijacked trawler is owned by one Mahmudul Huq of Cox's Bazar.

When contacted from Alipur, Huq said the pirates demanded ransom for release of the trawler along with the abducted fishermen and crew. The pirates asked him to send the ransom money to an address in Barisal. But he declined to disclose the address fearing reprisal.

When contacted, police expressed their ignorance about the matter.

A correspondent reported from Bhola that pirates looted 15 fishing trawlers on the Meghna estuary and hijacked five others along with 20 fishermen in three days till Friday.

Another at least 20 fishermen were injured in the attacks and fishing equipment worth over Tk five lakh were looted, according to fishermen of the looted trawlers. No case was filed till yesterday.