A total of 59 active members of five pirate gangs operating in the Sundarbans have surrendered to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), while 59 firearms and 541 rounds of ammunition have been recovered from different parts of the forest.
RAB Director General Additional IGP Md Ahsan Habib Palash disclosed the information at a media briefing at the RAB-6 headquarters in Khulna on Wednesday.
The five gangs surrendered on August 31. They included 16 members of the Boro Jahangir Gang, 13 of the Anarul Gang, 15 of the Afzal alias Dulabhai Gang, eight of the Aftab Gang and seven of the Mizan Gang.
Following the surrender, RAB conducted several raids based on intelligence information and recovered 59 firearms, including four shotguns, 47 one-shooter guns, four pipe guns, three air guns and a .22-bore rifle.
Seven walkie-talkies, 541 rounds of live ammunition and 14 empty cartridges were also recovered.
Palash said the operation, titled ‘Operation Re-Store Peace in Sundarbans,’ was launched to eliminate piracy from the Sundarbans and ensure the safety of people whose livelihoods depend on the forest and its waterways.
"For years, fishermen, honey collectors, golpata collectors and others dependent on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods have been subjected to extortion, intimidation and other forms of abuse by pirate groups," he said.
RAB, in coordination with the Bangladesh Coast Guard, local administration, naval police and the Forest Department, has been conducting sustained anti-piracy operations under the initiative since March 2, 2026.
The RAB chief urged pirates who have yet to surrender to abandon criminal activities and return to normal life.
"Leave the path of piracy and return to the path of light. Surrender and come back to a healthy and normal life. RAB is making every effort to provide you with the highest possible assistance," he said.
He warned that those who continue criminal activities would face strict legal action.
"RAB's zero-tolerance policy will continue to ensure a pirate-free Sundarbans and protect the lives and security of hardworking people in the coastal areas," he added.
