Bay of Bengal
34 fishermen go missing as 11 trawlers sink in Bay
Thirty-four fishermen went missing as 11 fishing trawlers capsized in the Bay of Bengal amid inclement weather on Friday, Coast Guard said on Saturday.
Eleven trawlers including MV Mamoni (3), FB Saiful, FB Al Mamun, FB Kulsun, FB Rafique Majhi, FB Nurbanu and FB Mayer Doa and one each from Bhola’s Charfassion, Galachipa, Panpotti, Kalapara and Napita area of Barguna district with 160 fishermen capsized in the Bay between 12 pm to 10 pm on Friday, some fishermen of the sunken trawlers, who managed to swim ashore, told Coast Guard.
The missing fishermen hail from Charfassion and Alipur Fisheries port area, said President of Alipur-Kuakata Fish Wholesalers’ Association.
Read: Two dead, two others missing in Noakhali trawler capsize
The fishermen said 126 of them managed to swim ashore when the trawlers sank due to strong current, said Nizampur Coast Guard Contingent Commander Selim Mandal.
Some of the fishermen are now undergoing treatment at Kuakata 20-bed Hospital and others.
Coast Guard members are conducting operations to trace the missing fishermen.
11 fishermen missing as another trawler sinks in Bay
At least 11 fishermen went missing in the Bay of Bengal Friday after another fishing boat carrying them capsized due to rough weather near Nazirartek Channel in Cox's Bazar, according to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.
Nineteen fishermen boarded the boat that got caught in a ferocious storm around 1pm and at least 8 of them were rescued by the Coast Guard members, said Jane Alam Putu, President of the Fish Traders Association.
The missing fishermen had gone into the Bay of Bengal in the fishing boat 'FB-Mayer Doa' to bait and catch fish for their businesses.
"A search and rescue operation is underway for the missing fishermen," BCG added.
However, the identities of the missing men could not be confirmed.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) advised the maritime ports, including Payra, to hoist the local cautionary signal three to alert vessels of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.
Read: Bay of Bengal trawler capsize: 4 bodies recovered
A depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining area has moved west-northwestward and intensified into a deep depression.
At 12pm, the depression was centered over northwest Bay and adjoining Bangladesh and India's West Bengal. It is likely to intensify further and move more northwestward.
The BMD advised all fishing boats in the northern Bay of Bengal and deep sea to take shelter immediately.
Bangladesh's continental shelf: MoFA secretary discusses amended submission with CLCS chair
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Maritime Affairs Unit Secretary Rear Admiral Md Khurshed Alam (retired) and Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) Chair Adnan Rashid Nasser Al-Azri have discussed Bangladesh's amended submission to the CLCS.
Khurshed has said the final recommendation of the United Nations would provide a basis for the exploration, conservation and development of living and non-living natural resources that would help ensure Bangladesh's sustainable development, energy needs and prosperity of the people.
Muhammad Abdul Muhith, ambassador and permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, was also present.
Based on the binding verdicts of the international tribunals, the Bangladesh government reviewed its submission and lodged a fresh version to the Commission on October 22, 2020.
Read: Bangladesh shares updated info on continental shelf in Bay with UN
In the amended submission, delimitation lines prescribed by the tribunals were used to determine the limits of Bangladesh's continental shelf.
The purpose of the CLCS is to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Under the Convention, a coastal state is supposed to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf where it extends beyond 200 nautical miles based on the recommendation of the Commission.
Missing student's body fished out of Bay after two days
The body of an honours student of Gazipur Metropolitan College was fished out of the Sugandha point of the Bay of Bengal Wednesday, two days after he went missing, police said.
Second-year student Abdullah Al Maruf, 21, of Gazipur went missing from Kolatoli point of Cox's Bazar sea beach Monday.
Read: Tourist goes missing in turbulent seas off Cox’s Bazar beach
Maruf and his friends Shawon and Adnan went missing as they were bathing defying the local cautionary signal No. 3, Assistant Superintendent of Cox's Bazar Tourist Police Chowdhury Mizanur Zaman said.
SeaSafe, a joint initiative aimed to reduce the risk of drowning in the coastal area of Cox's Bazar, staff later managed to rescue Shawon and Adnan.
"The non-profit organisation fished out Maruf's decomposed body from the sea at Sugandha point around 12.30pm. It was later handed over to Maruf's family without a post-mortem," Mizanur said.
8 fishermen go missing as 2 trawlers sink in Bay, 13 rescued
Eight fishermen have gone missing as two trawlers capsized in the Bay of Bengal due to strong current triggered by monsoon depression, said Coast Guard.
Seven of the missing fishermen were identified as Md Russel, 35, Md Mannan, 36, Nazrul, 40, Abdur Rahman, 37, Taslim, 30, Md Ismail, 40, and Jewel, 32.
Two trawlers of ‘Kalam Majhi’ and ‘Yusuf Majhi’ of Dhalchar Union of Charfashion Upazila sank in the south Bay near Payra port in Patuakhali district on Tuesday, said Bhola Coast Guard South Zone Media Officer KM Shafiul Kinjal.
The fishing trawler of Yusuf Majhi with 13 fishermen sank in the Bay amid inclement weather in the afternoon. Although five fishermen including Yusuf Majhi were rescued, eight others went missing.
Read:Depression: Low-lying areas inundated in Bagerhat
Dhalchar fisherman Abul Hossain said the fishing trawler of Kalam Majhi with eight fishermen sank in the Bay near Dhalchar in the morning. However, all fishermen of this trawler were saved.
All the rescued fishermen are undergoing treatment at a local hospital in Patuakhali.
Six teams of the Coast Guard with their two ships started a rescue operation. However, the rescue operation is being disrupted due to severe weather condition, said KM Shafiul.
The depression over coastal Odisha and the adjoining Northwest Bay moved westwards and weakened into a well-marked low.
It now lies over Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas of India, according to a special bulletin of the Met office. It is likely to move northwestwards further.
Under its influence, steep pressure gradient persists over the North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh.
Squally weather may affect the maritime ports, the North Bay and the adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh, as per the bulletin.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.
Depression: Low-lying areas inundated in Bagerhat
Low-lying areas in the coastal district have been inundated due to the tidal surge triggered by a well-marked low over the Bay of Bengal.
Bhairab, Daratan, Pangucchi, Pashur and Baleshwar rivers are flowing above the normal level, inundating the low lying areas of the district.
Besides, people have been experiencing intermittent rainfall since Wednesday morning.
The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra were advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal No 3.
The local met office has recorded 20.2 mm of rainfalls in 24 hours till Wednesday morning in Bagerhat.
Meanwhile, different rivers in the Sundarbans was flowing above the normal flow and 500 fishermen, who went to the Bay for netting, took shelter in the Sundarbans, said the Forest Department.
Read: Depression over Northwest Bay weakens
Amresh Chandra Dhali, in-charge of Mongla Weather Observatory Centre, said the Bay depression has been weakened into a well-marked low and it is now lies over Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas of India. It is likely to mover North Westwards further.
Under its influence, the residents are likely to experience 2-4 feet tidal surge from the normal astronomical tide.
Mohamamd Belayet Hossain, Division forest Officer of Bagerhat East Zone, said 500 fishermen with their trawlers have taken shelter in the Sundarbans.
The rivers are flowing 50 cm above their normal flow, said Executive Engineer of Bagerhat Water Development Board Masum Billah.
Two fishermen go missing after boat sinks in Bay
Two fishermen went missing as a boat capsized in the Bay of Bengal after being hit by a lighter vessel early Wednesday. The missing fishermen were identified as Md Harun, 40, son of Sayed Noor of Paruapara area of Chattogram's Anwara Upazila, and Rashid, 35, of Kutubdia upazila of Cox's Bazar. Nashir Uddin, in charge of Baro Auliya Naval Police, said that six fishermen went to the sea for fishing on a small boat on Sunday morning.
Read:Speedboat sinks in Bay: Another body recovered, 2 still missing
On Tuesday midnight, when they were returning, the boat capsized after being hit by a lighter ship. Four of them managed to swim ashore but Harun and Rashid remained missing. Naval Police, Coast Guard and locals carried out search and rescue operations but failed to trace them. A general diary (GD) has been registered at the Anwara police station.
Teen tourist goes missing in Bay of Bengal
A 16-year-old tourist went missing in the Bay of Bengal while taking bath at Inani Royal Tulip point in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday, police said.
The missing tourist has been identified as Abdullah, son of Colonel Shaheed.
Read: Two female tourists die in Cox’s Bazar
Additional superintendent of Cox’s Bazar Tourist Police, Rezaul Karim, said Abdullah and his parents came to visit Cox’s Bazar.
"At 11am, he was swept away away by the strong current while taking bath in the sea with his family members. A search operation is on," said Rezaul.
Asani weakens into depression
Asani, the cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, weakened into a depression on Thursday morning.
Asani over coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Central Bay moved westwards and weakened into a depression from deep depression, the Met office said.
Also read: Drizzle brings cheer to Faridpur & Patuakhali as Asani weakens
It was centred over the coastal land area of Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas around 6am.
It will weaken gradually and become unimportant, according to the Met office special bulletin.
Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower their cautionary signal.
Also read:Cyclone Asani recurves, likely to weaken into deep depression
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay have been advised to proceed with caution till the afternoon, as per the special bulletin.
Well-marked low over Bay intensified into depression
The well-marked low over Southeast Bay and adjoining South Andaman Sea moved slightly Northwestwards and intensified into a depression.
It is likely to intensify further and move in a Northwesterly direction, said a bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
Around 12 pm Saturday it was located about 1425 Kms south of Chattogram Port, 1340 Kms South of Cox’s Bazar Port, 1460 Kms South-Southeast of Mongla Port and 1405 Kms South-Southeast of Payra port.
The maximum sustained wind speed within 44 kms of the depression centre is about 40 KPH rising to 50 KPH in gusts .
However sea will remain moderate near the depression center.
Also read: Low pressure over Bay turns into well-marked low
The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist distant cautionary signal number one.
All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast, proceed with caution and not to venture in the deep sea.
The government is taking necessary preparations as cyclone ‘Ashani’ is likely to hit Bangladesh coast, said state minister for disaster management and relief Md Enamur Rahman on Thursday.
Also read: Deep depression over Bay likely to weaken gradually
Cyclone ‘Ashani’ may hit Satkhira district after hitting northeast India’s Odisha and West Bengal, the state minister told reporters after a meeting on cyclone preparedness at the Secretariat.