Of the looted cattle, 28 belong to three relatives of the Home Minister.

The Home Minister's relatives are Bhola district BJP president Kamaluddin Chowdhury (10 cattle), his brothers Maznu Chowdhury (6 cattle) and Noman Chowdhury (12 cattle).

The shoal, Dhal char is cut off by road and tele-communication. It is situated on the Meghna estuary, about 40 kilometres off Monpura, its nearest locality and police station.

Shamsuddin Bachhu Chowdhury, president of Monpura upazila unit of BNP also a brother-in-law of the Home Minister informed this correspondent that the pirates fled away safely by trawlers after looting the cattle.

Monpura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) SI Fazle Rabbi told this correspondent that they had heard the news of cattle looting, but nobody complained or lodged any case.

Meanwhile, an order of the Home Ministry to establish a permanent police camp at the shoal is also yet to be executed, the OC added.

Thousands of cattle of landlords and rich farmers of the area graze at Dhal Char which are most often looted by pirates. But the looted cattle are never recovered as nobody files any case due to lack of police station here.