Around 1.5 million people, mainly fishermen, honey collectors and wood-collectors and Bawalis, depend on the resources of world’s largest mangrove forest Sundarbans for their livelihood are in great danger as at least 12 pirate gangs are still active in the area and controlling the Sundarbans. Local fishermen and others alleged that they are suffering as after surrendering of Master Bahini and Mojnu Bahini, other pirate gangs become more ferocious and reckless. Cloudy sky, wary wives A gloomy sky pregnant with rain clouds hung heavy over the Mushiganj area in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district, mirroring the mood of the local people in the area. Abdul Aziz and his sibling Abdul Kalam depend on Sundarbans for their living. Their father also worked in Sundarbans. From their childhood they were attached with the largest mangrove forest. They have worked in forest to survive but they have lost all of their earnings to pirates. Pirate gang kidnapped them few days ago and they got released after paying a very handsome ransom. Before starting their journey in the seas, their wary wives said them bye, giving the customary farewell before they embark on a week-long trip to the sea of uncertainties. Citing their horrible experience the brothers said we need to pay several pirate gangs in way to fishing in the rivers. If anyone fails to pay them, pirates abduct them and tortured them indiscriminately. Pirates tortured abductees in such a way that they would never forget them and every time before going to forest and river they have to remember them and pay them. Pay first Locals alleged that pirates took kids, men, trawlers, all to be returned for a ransom. Pirates have a fixed rate of ransom. They took Tk20,000 to a lakh for a human; Tk5,000 to Tk10,000 for a trawler. After paying the money fishermen get a Get Out Of Jail Free’ card a pass that meant pirates won’t bother you again. Besides this, sometimes fishermen and locals pay first before outing. In this case, pirates give them an entry card which means pirates will not bother them during fishing or other works. Local fish traders and other influential sometimes collaborate with the pirates. Without paying pirates, no one can collect their living from Sundarbans. Pirates are the controller of Sundarbans and they rule there, alleged the brothers. Kidnap drives victim deeper into debt Abductees’ families have to pay big ransoms to pirates in exchange getting their love ones back. Reality is that kidnaps happen; that fishermen pay big ransoms for their boats, their nets, their loved ones; that this drives them deeper into debt. Aziz and Kalam said sometimes families have to take money from usurious persons, which drives them deeper into great debt. Poor fishermen earn very little and could not pay the debt. Tk200 corers’ business Every year 12 pirate gangs earned at least Tk200 corers from abduction business. Locals said pirate gangs collect money from nearly 1lakh fishermen and honey collectors. Fishermen and honey collectors have to pay on basis of days, weeks or months and pirates used to take Tk5,000 to Tk20,000 from them. GM Ali Azam Titu, chairman of Gabura unin in the upazila, said: Pirates earn nearly Tk200 corer every year from abduction and looting. These gangs abduct at least 1000 people who do not pay them first. Locals said though several pirate gangs have surrendered to law enforcers, Sundarbans still a very save zone for pirates. Amid continuous operations and crackdowns of law enforcement agencies pirates gangs have change their business style. In past few months, ring leaders of several pirate gangs were killed in gunfight with law enforcers. After ringleader’s death second man of the gang take charge of the gang and continue their misdeeds. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, general secretary of Dublar Fishermen Group, said: Though 45 pirates, including seven ringleaders, were killed, pirates are still active in the Sundarbans. When contacted, Munshiganj UP Chairman Abul Kashem alleged that at least 12 pirate gangs named Ayub Bahini, Reza bahini, Shahinur Bahini, Hazrat Bahini, Noa Mia Bahini and others are committing all kinds of misdeeds in the forest. Fishermen and other people depend on Sundarban could not enter into Sundarban without paying them. He said: As law enforcers failed to curb the pirates’ now local people used to manage the gangs by paying them first. Locals sometimes offered money to the pirates with their own accord to ensure their save journeys into the Sundarbans and rivers. Locals said these gangs abducted several fishermen and their trawlers on August. Later, fishermen were released as their family paid the ransoms. Forest department suffering from manpower It is learnt from the forest department that there are modern and speedy water vessels, arms and ammunitions and sufficient manpower are under the disposal of the powerful gangs of jungle pirates. But on the other hand, forest departments possess old and out dated water vessels, arms and ammunitions and shortage of manpower. Locals alleged forest department patrolled on side of Sundarbans where pirates lived other side of the forest. Jewel Chowdhury, range assistant of Western Sundarbans, Satkhira, said: We have heard about Ayub Bahini, Alim Bahini and others. But they never come in front of us. On the other hand, rumour has it that some pirates come from India with the collaboration of Bangladeshi pirates used several chars to hold their prisoners. But these gangs never attack to tourists because that turns the heat up. Fishermen are easy targets. The people who depend on the forest resources opine that until and unless the God fathers and patrons of jungle pirates are not identified crimes in Sundarban forest cannot be stopped. Local representatives, fishermen, Bawalis, honey collectors and other have demanded an immediate crackdown on the pirates, and asked for permission to equip the fishermen to protect them against such attacks. But they alleged that government has ignored their proposal for years.
2016 Dhaka Tribune.