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In a significant development for security in the Sundarbans, 27 members of the notorious “Chhoto Jahangir Bahini,” including its chief, surrendered to the Bangladesh Coast Guard on Monday.
The group laid down arms around 5:00 pm at Chapulia Canal in Mongla upazila Bagerhat district, handing over a cache of local and foreign-made weapons and ammunition, according to Coast Guard West Zone Commander Captain Mohammad Mesbahul Islam.
Among those who surrendered was gang leader Jahangir Sheikh, 45. The arms handed over included three foreign-made firearms, two multi-shot shotguns, five locally made single-barrel guns, 17 pipe guns, and 340 rounds of live ammunition, along with 55 spent cartridges.
The surrendered members are residents of Bagerhat, Khulna, and Pirojpur districts.
According to officials, the gang had long been involved in robbery in the Sundarbans, frequently targeting fishermen and forest resource collectors, often abducting them for ransom.
Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said sustained operations by the force have significantly weakened criminal networks in the Sundarbans, forcing many to abandon their activities.
Authorities view the surrender as a major step toward restoring law and order in the region and ensuring safer livelihoods for local communities dependent on the forest.
