Photo: BSS

KHULNA, May 17, 2026 (BSS) – Members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard early today arrested two active members of the notorious Karim Sharif pirate gang along with arms and ammunition from the Sundarbans and rescued four fishermen who had been held hostage by the gang.

Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said that acting on a tip-off, the Coast Guard came to know that members of the Karim Sharif gang were staying near the Dhangmari Canal in the Sundarbans under Dacope upazila of Khulna district.

Based on the information, a special drive was conducted by Coast Guard Base Mongla in the area around 4am on Sunday.

Sensing the presence of the Coast Guard, the gang members attempted to flee, but the team chased and detained two active members of the gang along with one foreign-made single-barrel gun, two locally made single-barrel guns and 24 rounds of live ammunition.

During the operation, four fishermen who had been held hostage by the pirates were also rescued.

The arrested pirates were identified as Md Robiul Sheikh, 30, of Rampal upazila in Bagerhat district, and Rajan Sharif, 20, of Morrelganj upazila in the same district.

According to the Coast Guard, Rajan had long been serving as the second-in-command of the gang and was involved in piracy and extortion by holding fishermen and woodcutters hostage in the Sundarbans.

He is also accused in a murder case filed with Bagerhat Sadar Police Station.

Legal procedures against the arrested pirates are underway, while efforts are also being made to hand over the rescued fishermen to their families.

The Coast Guard official said operations against pirates and their collaborators would continue to make the Sundarbans completely free from piracy.