The High Court on Sunday ordered law enforcement agencies to find missing fisherman Miraj Sheikh and produce him before the court within 15 days. 

An HC bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar passed the order. Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shaheen represented the petitioner during the hearing.

The writ petition named nine respondents, including the home secretary and the director general of the Coast Guard.

Speaking to journalists on the matter, lawyer Mujahidul Islam Shaheen said Miraj Sheikh, a resident of Joymoni area in Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat district, who worked as a fisherman and a motorcycle rental driver, was picked up at around 5pm on 10 April from a tea stall in Joymoni Thatar allegedly by two Coast Guard members in plainclothes.

He alleged that Miraj was then taken to Harbaria Coast Guard camp from where he was taken away by a boat carrying 7-8 uniformed members of the Coast Guard.

Following the incident, the family contacted the local police station and filed a general diary on 23 April this year. 

Digraj Coast Guard Base has completely denied any involvement in the matter. 

As no trace could be found of Miraj, his father Mostafa Sheikh  filed a writ petition before the High Court Division on 22 June seeking the recovery of his missing son.

The writ was filed under Article 102(2)(B)(i) of the Constitution and for the enforcement of fundamental rights under Articles 31, 32 and 33.

A copy of a news report regarding Miraj Sheikh's disappearance was attached with the writ petition. 

The report is based on the account of Miraj’s wife Mukta Khatun and four other locals who claim to be eyewitnesses to the incident.

The report cited Miraj’s relatives saying he used to catch fish in the Sundarbans and also worked as a motorcycle rental driver. 

On 10 April at around 11am, he returned home after fishing and went to sleep. 

Before evening, he received several calls from an unknown number and left home. 

At around 7pm, two men in plainclothes took Miraj away from in front of a tea stall in the Thota area of Joymoni, the report added. 

After receiving the news, Miraj's wife Mukta rushed to a nearby pontoon of the Coast Guard and saw Miraj being taken towards Mongla in a speedboat. 

Four others corroborated Mukta’s version when talking to the reporter, mentioning the lights of the pontoon ensured ample visibility.

When Miraj was taken away, his motorcycle was left in the custody of shopkeeper Al-Amin. 

Later, on 21 April, a person identifying himself as Coast Guard member Robin unlocked the motorcycle with a key and took it away. 

However, on 22 April, several Coast Guard members brought the motorcycle back. 

But the next day, they were told no one named Miraj had been at the outpost.

Miraj's sister Liza Islam said, "The next day, on the 11th, we went to the Coast Guard office at Digraj in Mongla. When we asked to see my brother, they said, 'He is on an operation, come back in the afternoon.'” 

She said when they returned, the personnel denied Miraj being there.

On 8 May, Miraj Sheikh's family held a press conference at the Mongla Press Club seeking information about his whereabouts.

Lt Commander Mahbub Hossain, media officer of the Coast Guard's Western Zone, denied that Miraj Sheikh had been detained or taken away by the Coast Guard. 

In a WhatsApp message, he said, "We have no information about him. We came to know about the missing-person allegation from the police station after the GD was filed. We also found no truth to the allegations made by his family."

Claiming that they did not know whether Miraj had actually gone missing or where he had gone, Mahbub Hossain said, "Another point is noteworthy here. On the 21st, we arrested a robber named Samad. During interrogation, Samad, who is the second-in-command of the Chhoto Suman Bahini operating in the Sundarbans, named five people associated with his group. Miraj's name was among those five.” 

He said subsequently, on 22 April, a joint-force operation was conducted. During that operation, two of the five were arrested. 

“We did not find Miraj. But the next day his family filed a GD saying he was missing. "If he went missing on the 10th, why would a GD be filed 12-13 days later? The matter is very suspicious."

Khatun, meanwhile, maintains her husband’s innocence.

“If he committed any crime and is a criminal, then send him to jail. Why make him disappear like this? We do not even know what he has done. ... What can we do now? We have nothing left to do." 

Additionally, on 12 June, police arrested six people after the Bangladesh Coast Guard sued over 300 people, including the family of a missing fisherman, Miraj Sheikh, following an attack on its Harbaria camp. 

The missing fisherman's wife, Mukta Khatun, his sister Liza Islam and mother Taslima Begum were named among the accused.

A joint drive by the police and Coast Guard led to the arrest of six individuals, including three named in the FIR, said the OC.

According to the case statement, the accused gathered around 10:30am on June 11 by spreading rumours. 

They reached the station's pontoon area on 15 to 20 boats. The attackers, armed with sharp weapons, iron rods, and sticks, entered the station, it says.

They also threatened the coast guard personnel and vandalised government property, including windows, chairs, fans, and tables, added the case statement.

Locals said tension had been brewing since Thursday morning between the Coast Guard and residents of Joymonir Thota over the disappearance of Miraj Sheikh.