Drive to curb robbery in Sundarbans
Our Correspondent | Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Our Correspondent
KHULNA, Feb 28: Law-enforcing agencies have started a special drive in 8 chars of Sundarbans to ensure security of the fishermen and to curb terrorism and recovered huge fire arms from the Sundarbans area. Source said that about 350 pirates/bandits are active under 4 Bahinis (groups) and collecting tolls of millions of taka by holding people hostage in the Char areas. The Chars are, Meher Ali's Char, Narkelbariar Char, Dublar Char, Manikkhali Char, Kachikhali Char, Alorkol, Masher Kella and Office Kellar Char. According to fishermen about 50 thousand fishermen are engaged in collecting fish in these Char areas during hilsha and dry fish season. Forest department source said that the dry fish season is Bengali month from Ashwin to Falgun and hilsha season is from Baishaik to Ashwin. Source said that 4 Bahinis are active in Sundarbans. They are -- Raju Bahini, Julfiker Bahini, Baro Bhai and Maijja Bhai Bahini. Under these bahinis about 350 dacoits are strongly active with modern firearms. They are looting valuable goods and collecting tolls from the fishermen by holding them rampantly. During the drive the coast guards and joint forces raided the place of shelter of Raju Bahini in deep Sundarbans on Sunday night and recovered 60 guns and four bullet-proof jackets from them. The coast guards also set fire on 8 thatches and seven sentry posts in Sundarbans. Four wheelers gain popularity Four and three-wheeler autos have gained popularity in the southwestern region. These wheelers fitted with the engines of shallow tubewell or power tiller have become popular with the farmers of southwestern districts. These wheelers are now being widely used by the farmers for carrying their agricultural products from the fields to the homes and thereafter to different markets at affordable fares. They also carry passengers from different places. Before the four-wheelers were pressed into service, the farmers used to carry paddy, wheat, pulses, sugarcane and vegetables from the fields to their homes by bullock carts. They had to depend fully on bullock carts for carrying their agricultural products to different markets for sale. The cost of carrying goods by the four-wheelers is cheaper than that of bullock cart. A farmer can save up to 50 per cent carrying cost by hiring a four-wheeler, local sources said. The four wheelers also have provided employment to a good number of youths as drivers. Nasir Uddin of Paickgachha Bazar of Khulna district said he assembled a body of a four-wheeler locally and fitted it with the engine of shallow tubewell at a total cost of Tk 85,000. He now earns Tk 3-4 hundred everyday by carrying agricultural products and passengers in his four wheelers.
KHULNA, Feb 28: Law-enforcing agencies have started a special drive in 8 chars of Sundarbans to ensure security of the fishermen and to curb terrorism and recovered huge fire arms from the Sundarbans area. Source said that about 350 pirates/bandits are active under 4 Bahinis (groups) and collecting tolls of millions of taka by holding people hostage in the Char areas. The Chars are, Meher Ali's Char, Narkelbariar Char, Dublar Char, Manikkhali Char, Kachikhali Char, Alorkol, Masher Kella and Office Kellar Char. According to fishermen about 50 thousand fishermen are engaged in collecting fish in these Char areas during hilsha and dry fish season. Forest department source said that the dry fish season is Bengali month from Ashwin to Falgun and hilsha season is from Baishaik to Ashwin. Source said that 4 Bahinis are active in Sundarbans. They are -- Raju Bahini, Julfiker Bahini, Baro Bhai and Maijja Bhai Bahini. Under these bahinis about 350 dacoits are strongly active with modern firearms. They are looting valuable goods and collecting tolls from the fishermen by holding them rampantly. During the drive the coast guards and joint forces raided the place of shelter of Raju Bahini in deep Sundarbans on Sunday night and recovered 60 guns and four bullet-proof jackets from them. The coast guards also set fire on 8 thatches and seven sentry posts in Sundarbans. Four wheelers gain popularity Four and three-wheeler autos have gained popularity in the southwestern region. These wheelers fitted with the engines of shallow tubewell or power tiller have become popular with the farmers of southwestern districts. These wheelers are now being widely used by the farmers for carrying their agricultural products from the fields to the homes and thereafter to different markets at affordable fares. They also carry passengers from different places. Before the four-wheelers were pressed into service, the farmers used to carry paddy, wheat, pulses, sugarcane and vegetables from the fields to their homes by bullock carts. They had to depend fully on bullock carts for carrying their agricultural products to different markets for sale. The cost of carrying goods by the four-wheelers is cheaper than that of bullock cart. A farmer can save up to 50 per cent carrying cost by hiring a four-wheeler, local sources said. The four wheelers also have provided employment to a good number of youths as drivers. Nasir Uddin of Paickgachha Bazar of Khulna district said he assembled a body of a four-wheeler locally and fitted it with the engine of shallow tubewell at a total cost of Tk 85,000. He now earns Tk 3-4 hundred everyday by carrying agricultural products and passengers in his four wheelers.