Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard in a joint drive on Friday destroyed several dens of robbers and their watch towers at different areas of Chandpai range in eastern part of the Sunderbans, one of the largest mangrove forests in the world.
The drive was launched as a part of operation ‘Pirate Hunt’ that started earlier on Thursday with two ships and eight other water vessels.
During the drive law enforcers found information about eight to ten fresh places at Kokilmoni, Harbaria, Hiron Point, Akram Point and Dublar Char areas that were being used by the robbers as hideouts.
Coast Guard staff officer of Mongla zone (operation) Lt M Fariduzzaman Khan said they issued red alert at ten Coast Guard stations in Sunderbans and those were Habaria, Supti, Kochikhali, Koikhali, Kokilmoni, Dublar Char, Koyra, Nalian, Dobeki and Gagadobeki.
Apart from the Coast Guard stations, two other special teams were cooperating with the Pirate Hunt drive that started from Harbaria area, he said.
On-duty officer of Coast Guard Mongla zone (media cell) Rahi Al Mamun said recently the activities of robbers and miscreants had increased alarmingly in the area and they were looting and destroying Sunderban’s assets.
The operation was launched to free Sunderban from pirates, he added.
Lt Col Faridul Alam of RAB-8 said so far at least 40 robbers including their leaders were killed in gunfights and according to the local fishermen the eastern Sunderbans was already free of robbers.
Law enforcers’ drives were underway to free the western part of Sunderban also, he said.
Divisional officer of Sunderbans east forest department Saidur Rahman said only a few guards of their department were working to ensure security of such large forest like Sunderbans.
A total of 88 robbers were killed in gunfight with RAB-8 during last eight years while 518 firearms were recovered from their procession.
Earlier on May 31, ten-member group of robbers ‘Master Bahini’ along with their leader and 51 firearms surrendered to law enforcers. Later on July 15, nine members of ‘Manju Bahini’ and two members of ‘Ilias Bahini’ with 25 firearms and more than thousand rounds of bullets surrendered to the authorities.
Source: New Age
