A renewed surge in piracy in the Sundarbans is placing coastal livelihoods at risk as fishermen, woodcutters, and honey collectors face abduction and extortion in the forest.
At least six fishermen who were allegedly abducted by pirate gangs have returned home after their families paid ransom, said their families.
Family members said Anarul, Imran, and Sushanta returned early Saturday while Saddam, Yunus Ali, and Saiful Islam came back on Friday morning.
The fishermen were reportedly abducted on March 30 from Chunkuri, Malancha, and Mamundo rivers by groups identifying themselves as the ‘Don’ and ‘Alif alias Alim’ gangs.
Victims’ families said Tk 40,000 was paid for Saddam’s release, while Tk 35,000 each was paid for Anarul, Sushanta, and Imran. Besides, Tk 25,000 each was reportedly paid for release of Yunus Ali and Saiful Islam.
However, four other abducted fishermen, including Enamul and Hazrat, are still missing, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Fishermen who regularly travel to the Sundarbans, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that pirate groups have moved deeper into the forest with the remaining hostages.
They said this shift followed increased operations by law enforcement agencies after the State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change instructed authorities on April 1 to make the Sundarbans free of piracy.
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guard, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police have intensified patrols in the area, which may have pressured the pirate groups to relocate.
However, police said they have not received formal complaints.
Md. Fazlul Haque, station officer of Burigoalini in Satkhira Range, said that no families have officially informed them about the abductions or the releases.
Shyamnagar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Md. Khaledur Rahman said that in many such cases families try to resolve the situation quietly due to fears for the victims’ lives. “They often avoid informing law enforcement agencies because of the risk involved. Police are treating the matter seriously.”
In a separate incident, forest officials have detained seven honey collectors near the Notabeki patrol outpost inside a protected sanctuary area of the Sundarbans.
They were allegedly collecting honey without permission.
Due to poor network coverage in the remote area, authorities have yet to confirm their identities.
The resurgence of piracy follows years of relative calm.
The much-awaited honey collection season in the Sundarbans began on April 1 but honey collectors voiced concern about the recent increase in the activities of forest-based criminal groups including incidents of abductions for ransom.
Several honey collectors have reportedly chosen to stay away from the forest this season due to mounting extortion demands.
One honey collector, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that robbers demanded Tk 10,000 from each collector, and many groups were forced to pay, discouraging others from entering the Sundarbans for honey collection.
The Forest Department stated that it has taken steps to ensure the safety of honey collectors and has advised them to follow guidelines aimed at protecting forest resources.
The Sundarbans were declared pirate-free in 2018, but attacks have reportedly increased under the interim administration.