Bodies are being recovered from the sunk trawler after pulling it ashore at noon on 23 April 2023
Bodies are being recovered from the sunk trawler after pulling it ashore at noon on 23 April 2023

CID, PBI start investigation into 10-body recovery from trawler in Cox’s Bazar

Separate teams of police, including Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), have started working to unearth the mystery behind the recovery of ten partially decomposed bodies from a sinking fishing trawler in Cox’s Bazar.

“We’re trying to identify those who are involved in the incident soon. Our teams have been investigating the incident… CID and PBI teams have also come here from Dhaka and began their investigation,” said DIG of Chattogram range of police Anwar Hossain.

He said family members have so far identified four of the ten bodies. DNA of the remaining six bodies will be kept in collection for determining their identity, he added.

Talking to journalists, Anwar said they still don’t know for certain about who are involved in the incident and for what reason they have committed such crime. He also said they are trying to identify those who are involved in piracy in sea.

A few years ago, around 96 pirates surrendered in Maheshkhali and most of them returned to normal life, he said, adding that many pirates also surrendered to police in Banshkhali and also went back to normal life.

On Sunday, ten half-mutilated bodies were recovered from the cold-store of a fishing trawler that washed ashore in Nazirartek area of the district.

The trawler went missing more than a week ago in the Bay.

Locals saw a floating trawler in the Bay on Saturday morning. They brought the trawler to the shore in Nazirartek area and while checking the cold-store, they saw the hands and legs, said ward-1 councilor of Cox’s Bazar Pourashava Aktar Kamal.

He said they immediately informed Sadar thana police who rushed to the spot on Saturday evening. With the help of the Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel, police recovered 10 partially decomposed bodies from the cold-store of the trawler, said Aktar.