Sundarbans Gunfight Leaves One Dead, Gang Chief Held

A late-night exchange of gunfire between the Coast Guard and a notorious forest piracy group in the Sundarbans has left one man dead and the group’s alleged leader in custody, according to officials and local sources.

The incident took place on Thursday night in the Khulna range of the Sundarbans, near the Shibsa River adjacent to the Koyra forest office area. The confrontation involved members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard and the so-called “Dulabhai Bahini”, a group long accused of operating as forest bandits in the region.

The deceased has been identified as Shaukat Sardar, son of Izhar Sardar from Ward No. 3 of Maheshwaripur. He had reportedly been living in the Tetultala Guchchhopara area. His body was later taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital.

Hospital sources confirmed that a wounded man, identified as Rabiul Islam (around 50), was brought in by Coast Guard personnel on Friday morning with gunshot injuries to his hand and other parts of the body. He received treatment before being taken away again under guard. Authorities believe Rabiul is the alleged chief of the Dulabhai Bahini and remains in custody.

Local residents say Rabiul Islam is widely known in the area as the leader of the group. According to accounts from Maheshwaripur villagers, the organisation emerged following the decline of an earlier group known as the “Ilias Bahini”, which once dominated parts of the Sundarbans. After the death of its leader, Rabiul, reportedly connected through family ties to the former leadership, is said to have formed a new network that locals began calling the Dulabhai Bahini.

The Coast Guard operation unfolded around 9:30 pm when patrol boat Typhoon-17 encountered two wooden vessels carrying suspected pirates on the Shibsa River. An exchange of gunfire followed, during which both sides reportedly opened fire. One pirate vessel sank while another caught fire amid the clash.

Residents of Tetultala Char described hearing continuous gunfire for nearly 45 minutes, a rare and alarming experience for the riverside community. Many depend directly on the Sundarbans for their livelihood, collecting fish, crab and honey, and said the sounds caused widespread panic as people rushed out of their homes.

Witnesses also reported seeing flames and hearing repeated bursts of gunfire, initially assuming rival pirate groups were fighting each other. It was only the following morning that they learned the Coast Guard had been involved.

Local representatives said long-standing pirate activity in and around the Sundarbans continues to threaten the safety of forest-dependent communities. The Union Parishad member for the area noted that while operations are carried out periodically, prolonged exchanges such as this are uncommon.

Police officials confirmed they had received reports of one death in the incident but said it remains unclear whether the deceased was directly involved in piracy. The Coast Guard has stated that operations are ongoing in the area and further details will be released once the situation stabilises.