Sundarbans combing for criminals starts
Only one held in four days
Coastguards west zone have launched 'Operation Sandhan' involving the police and forest guards to nab pirates and poachers and recover illegal arms hidden in the Sundarbans.
So far only one notorious pirate of the Sundarbans was arrested from Mongla EPZ area on Wednesday, day after of the start of the operation in the forest and coastal belts.
The arrestee was identified as Shahidul Islam, 40, alias `Nata' Shahid, said to be the operation commander of the notorious Raju Bahini of the Sundarbans.
Police said Shahid was wanted in several criminal cases including murder, robbery, extortion and kidnapping for ransom.
Operation Sandhan will continue till the desired goal for rooting out pirates and poachers from the Sundarbans and its coastal belts is achieved, said operation in-charge Lt. Commander Lokman Hakim of coastguards west zone.
Our main goal is to ensure security of wildlife, fishermen and bawalis who are sources of huge revenue earnings.
Captain Saiduzzaman, commander of coastguards west zone, is leading Operation Sandhan.
A huge contingent of coastguards is carrying out the operation in the sea belts and the Sundarbans with help of five ships and two high speed boats.
The five ships are CGS Noakhali, CGS Pabna, CGS Bogra, CGS Tamjid and CGDS Patuakhali.
Another important objective of Operation Sandhan is to recover illegal arms from the Sundarbans, the world's biggest mangrove forest and home to Bengal tigers, said divisional forest officers of both east and west wings of Sundarban Forest Division Mihir Kumar Dey and Zahiruddin Ahmed.
The pirates use sophisticated arms for committing heinous crimes while the forest guards have nothing to match their modern arms, they said.
Development of infrastructure and communications is inevitable for protecting the forest and quick movement of law enforcers and forest guards is a must to contain crimes there, they pointed out.
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