There were reported 251 murder, death and missing cases in Bogale and Pyapone Townships in Ayeyawady Region last year, according to the Ayeyawady region police force. 

Raft-fishing industries are located in Bogale and Pyapone Townships. There were nine death cases and two missing cases in Bogale Township while there were 16 murder cases, 55 death cases on the sea and 171 missing cases in Pyapone Township. 

The number of such cases increased by 44 in 2019, compared with 2018. 

In 2018, there were 207 murder, death and missing cases—four death cases and three murder cases in Bogale Township and 12 murder cases, 92 death cases and 98 missing cases in Pyapone Township, according to the police record. 

Ayeyawady Region MP Zeyar Min Thein from Pyapone Township said: “Now the draft offshore fishing law is being discussed at upper house parliament. There is an urgent need for the enactment of law. We are constantly working on the public knowledge dissemination. That’s why the employer-employee contracts have emerged. The rule of law is a must. The nature of rules and regulations for inland workers is not the same. The employer-employer law amounts to having nothing to do with offshore fishing workers. We will seek advice from the public after the completion of the draft bill. Those involved should abide by that law.”

Recently, the relevant authorities inspected the raft-fishing industries due to human trafficking and the violations of human rights.