Forty-two days after the surrender of Master Bahini in the Sundarbans, the chiefs of two notorious robber gangs of the area, Majnu Bahini and Elius Bahini, and their eight associates are going to give themselves up to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-8 on Friday.
 They will lay down 26 arms of various kinds, at least 200 rounds of bullets and other ammunition, in the presence of home minister Asaduzzamna Khan Kamal and RAB director general Benazir Ahmed, at the BFDC fishing ghat in Mongla around 1pm. Speaking to The Independent yesterday (Tuesday), the Commanding Officer (CO) of RAB-8, Lt-Col. Mohammad Faridul Alam, said the gang leaders and their associates were brought from India after they expressed the wish to return to normal life.
The two gangs had let loose a reign of terror in the Sundarbans by kidnapping fishermen, mouals (honey collectors) and baoalis (wood cutters) for ransom.
“We hope that from now on fishermen, mouals and baoalis will be able to operate peacefully in the forest,” Alam added.
Sources in RAB said the leaders of the two gangs, Majnu and Elius, written to the home minister and the RAB director general through a reporter of a private TV channel, requesting that steps be taken for the surrender of gang members, as they would like to return to normal life.
On the basis of that letter, the home minister asked RAB officers to take steps for their surrender.
On May 31, 10 members of Master Bahini, including its leader, surrendered to the RAB with 52 firearms and 5,000 rounds of bullet.
According to sources, there are at least 18 robber gangs operating in the Sundarbans, including Sagar Bahini, Raju Bahini and Jahangir Bahini.
All the gangs possess modern arms and ammunition, and they collect money from fishermen, honey collectors, and wood cutters. Each of these gangs has its own area of operation. Nobody can enter the Sundarbans without a “token” from them in lieu of a monthly payment.
Local people said the robbers collect anything between Tk. 3,000 and Tk. 200,000.
At present, RAB and the Bangladesh Coast Guard provide security in and around the Sundarbans.