Rising piracy threatens Bangladesh

After she heard the terrible news of her son’s murder at the hands of pirates, Ayesha Khatun could not forgive herself for sending him to sea.

Rising piracy threatens coastal Bangladesh

Increasing attacks cost lives and livelihoods, and cripple the fishing industry.

By Syed Tashfin Chowdhury for Khabar South Asia in Dhaka

After she heard the terrible news of her son’s murder at the hands of pirates on March 25th, Ayesha Khatun, the mother of fisherman Enamul Haq, 24, could not forgive herself for sending him to sea.

“He did not want to go, but I insisted. How could I have done this? I have lost everything now,” Khatun, of Shekherkil union in southeastern Bangladesh, told Khabar South Asia.

Some 15 years earlier, her husband Rashedul Haq was also killed by pirates while fishing in the Bay of Bengal.

But she took the risk of sending her oldest son because of the pressure of supporting her family of four, including Enamul’s two younger siblings, on her daily income of Tk 50 (US$ 0.65).

Enamul left March 25th with a three-boat fleet carrying 33 fishermen. Pirates attacked the same night, nearly 25km into the Kutubdia channel. Three survivors managed to jump into the sea and swim to shore.

The bodies of 21 fishermen have been recovered; Enamul and eight others are still missing.

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Source: Khabar.