Staff Reporter :
At least 43 pirates surrendered to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at the Maheshkhali Adarsha High School in Cox’s Bazar district on Saturday.
They handed over at least 94 firearms and 7,637 bullets to the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in the public gathering around 12:30 pm.
Among those who surrendered, 10 members from Maheshkhali’s Anju Bahini surrendered 24 firearms and 345 bullets, two from Romiz Bahini surrendered eight firearms and 120 bullets, six members from Nurul Alam alias Kalaboda Bahini handed over 23 firearms and 333 bullets, 15 members of Jalal Bahini gave up 29 firearms and 6,798 bullets, nine members from Ayub Bahini surrendered nine weapons and 37 bullets, and one from Alauddin Bahini gave up one weapon and four bullets.
Among them were a SMG, one British .34 revolver, two locally-made pistols, 52 locally made pipe guns, two locally-made double-barrel pipe guns, 19 single-shot guns, 15 three quarter and two .22 bore rifles.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given strict instructions to stop drug and weapons trade. Criminals are surrendering in every region of the country.”
“We will help these pirates to live a normal life according to the prevailing laws of the country,” the minister said.
He said, “There is still time for those who have not surrendered yet. Surrender quickly while there is time. If not, strict measures will be taken.”
RAB official sources said, hundreds of armed members of pirate gangs have been conducting robbery, murder and looting in coastal areas of Cox’s Bazar. But several gang members of these pirate gangs were trying to return to their normal lives now after surrender. This was the largest surrender of pirates since a similar surrender in the Sundarbans.
Cox’s Bazar-2 Constituency MP Asheq Ullah Rafiq, RAB Director General (DG) Benazir Ahmed, Chittagong Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Khandaker Golam Faruque, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md Kamal Hossain, Police Superintendent ABM Masud Hossain, District Awami League Advocate Sirajul Mostofa and General Secretary Mujibur Rahman were present at the rally, among others.
