The Burmese Navy freed 44 Bangladeshi fishermen along with four of their fishing boats from captivity on Friday after reportedly taking a ransom of 750,000 Taka from the owners of the boats.

Mohammed Hashim, one of the boat owners, told Narinjara that his boat along with three more from Bangladesh's southeastern Shahpori Dip on the border with Burma were seized by the Burmese Navy last Wednesday. The naval forces allegedly intruded into Bangladesh's territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal to abduct the fishermen.

"The Burmese Navy abducted 44 fishermen with four fishing boats last Wednesday while they were fishing in Bangladesh waters near Saint Martin Island, and informed us through their brokers that they wanted a ransom of 12 lakh Taka for the release of the men and boats," said Hashim. "They finally released our people and boats yesterday after we paid 7.5 lakh Taka to them," he added.

He added that the three other boats were owned by Shamsul, Mogula, and Yasin from Shahpori Dip.

According to Burmese fishermen in the area, the Burmese Navy seized the Bangladeshi fishing boats from the waters near the Oyster Lighthouse Island about 30 miles southwest of Bangladesh's Saint Martin Island, while they were on patrol.

On 27 September, Burmese naval forces on surveillance patrolling along the coast seized four Bangladeshi fishing trawlers from the same area. The navy took the three best trawlers and fishing equipment while pushing the fishermen in the oldest trawler back to Bangladesh.

A Burmese fisherman said that Bangladeshi fishermen have not only been trespassing into Burmese waters for fishing, but have also been buying fish from the Burmese fishermen at sea, because fish are becoming scarce in Bangladesh waters.