United News of Bangladesh

Fifty-two members of four robber gangs in the Sundarbans have formally surrendered, pledging to give up arms and return to normal life amid continued operations by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to make the forest safer. The members of the four groups surrendered to RAB-6 deep inside the Sundarbans on Monday as part of an initiative aimed at ensuring overall security in the forest. Of them, 16 were members of the “Boro Jahangir Bahini”, 13 of the “Anarul Bahini”, 15 of the “Afzal alias Dulabhai Bahini” and eight of the “Aftab Bahini.” Necessary legal procedures will be completed against the surrendered individuals under existing laws. RAB-6 Commanding Officer Nistar Ahmed on Tuesday said fishermen, bawalis and mouals who depend on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods had long faced serious risks from abductions and ransom demands by robbers. The Sundarbans reopened to tourists and forest-dependent people on Tuesday after a three-month ban on entry imposed to ensure uninterrupted breeding and movement of wildlife. The surrender of the 52 robbers just a day before the forest reopened is expected to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities, tourist safety and the local economy, officials said. The move is also expected to help prevent illegal extraction of forest resources and wildlife poaching, they said.