Sundarbans, August 7 (V7N) – The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested two suspected associates of the notorious forest bandit Asabur and recovered firearms, ammunition, and weapons-manufacturing equipment during a raid in the Sharbatkhali area of the Shibsha River in the Sundarbans.
 
According to Lieutenant Commander Siyam-ul-Haque, media officer of the Coast Guard Headquarters in Dhaka, the operation was launched based on a tip-off indicating that members of the infamous Asabur gang were preparing to carry out a robbery in the forest region on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Responding to the intelligence, a team from the Mongla Coast Guard Station conducted a swift raid in the target area. Upon arrival, the suspected pirates attempted to flee. The Coast Guard members fired two warning shots to halt the escape and subsequently managed to detain two individuals.
 
From the scene, authorities recovered three single-barrel guns, ten rounds of live ammunition, five rounds of blank cartridges, and various tools used for making or modifying weapons. The detainees were identified as Md. Badsha Gazi (45) and Mehedi Hasan (27), both residents of Paikgachha Upazila in Khulna district.
 
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects had been long-time associates of the Asabur gang, allegedly involved in supplying arms, ammunition, and other logistical support to facilitate the gang’s criminal operations in the Sundarbans.
 
The Coast Guard stated that the operation was part of their ongoing efforts to make the Sundarbans forest region free from piracy and banditry. Authorities affirmed that such operations would continue until the area is fully secured.
 
The arrested individuals, along with the seized items, were handed over to local law enforcement for further legal action.
 
END/AHS/SMA