2 held over Sundarbans fire

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in a drive arrested two men over setting fire at the Sundarbans from Katakhali bus stand area in Fakirhat upazila of Bagerhat district on Wednesday.

The arrestees are Masum Hawladar, 35, son of Jalil Hawladar of Uttar Rajapur village in Sharankhola upazila of the district, and Ibrahim Hawladar, 30, son of Sobahan Hawladar of the same village.

Khandakar Rafiqul Islam, captain of Rab-6, said they gave confessional statement in primary interrogation about their involvement in the arson incidents in the Sundarbans.

After interrogation, the elite force handed them over to Sharankhola Police Station.

In the last one month, miscreants set fire to the forest at least four times in Dhansagar area of Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans.

Sultan Mahmud, station officer of Dhansagar Forest Department, filed two cases with Sarankhola Police Station and one with the court against the local miscreants.

Masum and Ibrahim are among the accused in the cases.

Informed that the duo were fleeing to India, a team of Rab-6 conducted a drive in the bus stand area and arrested them, said Khandakar Rafiqul Islam.