Two alleged pirates die in fire exchanges with RAB

DHAKA, Nov 18, 2012 (BSS) - At least two alleged members of an organized pirate gang were killed in "gunfights" with elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) troops at southwestern Sharankhola of coastal Bagerhat, officials said here today.

A RAB official in Dhaka, however, said the two, belonging to the so- called "Murtuza Bahini" were killed during exchanges of gunshots with a "taskforce" comprising members of the RAB-8 Battalion and policemen of the local police station.

"Two dacoits died . . . 11 firearms, including five foreign
made ones, and 34 bullets were seized from them, " a RAB official
in Dhaka told BSS without any further elaboration immediately.

A BSS journalist in Bagerhat said details of the incident were yet to be unfolded but officials confirmed that the exchanges took place when a big squad of the anti-crime troops launched the "special operation" against the pirates earlier today.

The incident came three months after the Mortuza Bhani and at least two other such gangs joined hands and took to hostage for ransom over 50 fishermen along with seven fishing boats ahead of the Eid ul Fitr at the Sundarbans forest.

The situation at that time prompted authorities to call out air force with helicopters to launch a campaign against the pirates along with the navy, coastguards, RAB and police to rescue the fishermen and flush out pirates from the Sundarbans, a large part of which is in Indian Territory.