Hatia: Panic gripped the remote offshore island of Hatia after Tuesday’s fierce fighting between two rival gangs of pirates over establishing supremacy in the area as reports Saturday said 20 people were killed in the shootout.
Local sources confirmed 20 dead, including the ringleader of Ibrahim bahini, and over 100 injured in the bloody clash at Charkalam in Jahajmara Uniont. But, they apprehended the number of deaths could go up.
Pungent smells of dead bodies were still whirling in the air of Hatia Upazila as law-enforcers could not yet recover any body.
According to locals, the isolated Charkalam islet, located on the bank of Meghna River, has been ruled by the Munshi group of pirates for long.
The members of Ibrahim and Munshi groups locked horns in a clash on Tuesday midnight as Ibrahim tried to take control over extortion trade in the backwater area at the confluence of the Meghna River and the Bay of Bengal.
Local people alleged that neither police force nor the coastguard did come to Charkalam to investigate the matter showing rough sea and technical problem as the reasons.
Ibrahim’s family members demanded recovery of his body, claiming that the body might have been dumped under the ground after cutting into pieces.
“After suffering bullet wounds, Ibrahim talked to me over cell phone for the last time. He informed that 15-20 members, out of 90, of his group were killed in the fighting and Munshi bahini hemmed them in. Since then, we could not contact Ibrahim,” said Abdur Rahim, younger brother of the gang leader.
Ibrahim and his associate Maksud were arrested by Chittagong police on January 5, 2009. Both were set free on bail recently.
Md Shafiq Khan, contingent commander of the coastguard, told bnglanews24.com.bd : “We have no mechanical support to go to the isolated area so did not visit the area. Besides, we did not yet receive any direction from the higher authority in this regard. Hatia thana police may look into the matter.”
Noakhali Police Super Harun-ur-Rashid said directives have been given to the Hatia thana to visit the spot, “but no body has yet been found”.
EC/MRH/LY/MUA
12:05 hrs, 22 May 2010
