Kaladan Press, 21 February 2011
Chittagong, Bangladesh: A group of Malaysian boat voyagers were attacked and robbed of their boat and all their belongings near Shamalarpur Village of Teknaf on February 19, according to one of the travelers from Cox’s Bazaar.
“The pirates joined with us in Cox’s Bazaar, Custura Ghat (port), with other passengers. While we sailed to Suhapourdip in the early morning of February 19, the pirates attacked us near Shamalarpur Village.”
“The pirates took all our belongings like mobile phones, cash, watches, food, and clothes. The pirates pushed out us of the boat into the water, and then they took the boat.”
The trafficker who organized the voyagers had loaded 34 people from Chittagong, Majir Ghat, on February 16, according to a boat people watch group.
The boat sailed to Cox’s Bazaar where the trafficker loaded 30 people from Cox’s Bazaar, Custura Ghat, on February 18, the watch group said.
“Among the 30 passengers, there were 12 pirates in the group.”
“May be the trafficker had planned to cheat the voyagers, so he organized the pirates to rob them,” said an elder from Teknaf after hearing about the incident.
All the passengers had to pay more than 20,000 to 30,000 per person for the trip. The trafficker didn’t want to go to on the deadly sea route as he had information that Thailand had recently arrested other sea travelers and kept them in jail, said the elder.
All the voyagers are now safe as the pirates dropped them in shallow water where they could easily reach the shore.
The Sail 