The Bangladesh Coast Guard has rescued five fishermen held hostage for ransom by a bandit group following a firefight in the Shyamnagar sector of the Sundarbans.
The security operation, conducted under ongoing maritime anti-banditry initiatives, targeted the notorious ‘Dada Bhai Bahini’ gang. Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, Media Officer for the Coast Guard, confirmed details of the encounter in an official press release issued on Tuesday afternoon, 27 October.
Acting on precise intelligence, joint teams from the Koyra and Dobeki Coast Guard stations launched a midnight raid on Monday, 26 October, along the Konchir Khal channel near the Arpangasia River. Intelligence indicated that members of the Dada Bhai Bahini had detained several local fishermen in the dense mangrove forest to extract ransom payments from their families.
As the Coast Guard units closed in on the hideout, the bandits opened fire without warning. Officers retaliated in self-defence, triggering a brief exchange of gunfire. Outmanoeuvred by the security forces, the bandits abandoned their captives and retreated into the deep forest under cover of darkness. No arrests were made at the scene during the immediate retreat.
A subsequent sweep of the area led to the safe recovery of all five hostages, who were found unharmed. The rescued individuals were identified as Rabiul Islam, 35, and Billal Hossain, 26, both residents of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira; alongside Alaul Islam, 32, Naushen Morol, 41, and Shahinur Rahman, 28, from Koyra upazila in Khulna.
Search teams recovered a single-barrelled gun, six spent cartridges, and three locally made sharp weapons abandoned by the fleeing gang. Legal procedures regarding the seized arms and ammunition are currently underway, while arrangements are being finalized to reunite the rescued fishermen with their families.
The operation forms part of two ongoing special campaigns—’Operation Restore Peace in Sundarbans’ and ‘Operation Mangrove Shield’—designed to dismantle armed syndicates, eliminate extortion, and secure vital waterways for coastal fishing communities. The Coast Guard reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining active patrols throughout the World Heritage forest to prevent the resurgence of bandit networks.
