Some fishermen who escaped from jail are now going fishing in the Sundarbans, burdened with the burden of bandit debts and the fear of bandits. The Sundarbans, which had been peaceful for a long time, have become restless again. Fishermen who go into the forest in search of livelihood are being arrested and ransom is being demanded. The free movement of armed bandits has created fear in the minds of forest dwellers. In the meantime, the forest department has rescued the kidnapped fishermen through several raids. It has been alleged that the convicts who escaped from jail during the student-public movement are leading these bandits. Although the forest department has said that patrolling will be strengthened, the victims and those concerned say that this is happening due to lack of surveillance. The administration must play its maximum role from its place. It has been learned that on November 1, 2018, 54 members of six bandit groups in the Sundarbans surrendered, promising to return to normal life. The then government declared the Sundarbans free of bandits on that day. Since then, relief has returned to the people dependent on the Sundarbans. However, after the fall of the Awami League government, the activities of various criminal gangs in the vast waters of the Sundarbans have increased again. Foresters said that noises can be heard in the forest at night. In addition, the presence of unknown people has increased. Especially in Shyamnagar in the Satkhira Range of the West Sundarbans, the fear of bandits has increased. New groups have been formed here. They are attacking foresters with sharp weapons and guns. These groups are carrying out film-style attacks and taking fishermen hostage and extorting ransom. In such a situation, their livelihoods are under threat. They claim that escaped convicts are involved in this banditry. According to sources at Satkhira District Jail, there are currently 236 prisoners in the jail. Of these, 222 are male and 14 are female. Out of the 87 prisoners who escaped from the jail on August 5, 25 are now there. Many have been granted bail. However, 53 are absconding. Acting Jail Superintendent Enayet Ulya said that the list of absconding accused has been sent to various departments. Several cases have been filed in this incident. Speaking to fishermen who recently returned after paying ransom and were rescued from the hands of bandits, it was learned that the bandits are looting everything from the fishermen who went fishing for fish and crabs in the deep forest. They are demanding huge sums of money. Manju Bahini, who surrendered in 2018, and Abdullah Tarafdar, who recently escaped from jail, have formed a new force and are attacking the fishermen. They are collecting ransom. They have ramda, guns, machetes, axes and sticks. A reliable source said that Abdullah Tarafdar (42), son of Akbar Tarafder of Kalinchi village of Ramjannagar union of Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira, went to jail on July 14 in a case of women trafficking. When the Satkhira district jail was vandalized on the night of August 5 during the anti-discrimination student movement, he fled from there and took shelter in a relative’s house in Palanpur village of Kaikhali UP. On the night of August 6, he entered the Sundarbans through Mirgang intersection with the help of some local miscreants. Abdullah Tarafdar was accompanied by a group of 10 to 12 people. Most of them are escapes from prison and their homes are in the Moutala area of Satkhira Sadar and Kaliganj upazilas, the reliable source confirmed. According to foresters, the robber groups have become active again in the Sundarbans after August 5. These convicts, including those who escaped from jail, are looting the Katakhali, Chunkuri, Dargang, Atharobeki, Kachikata, Raimangal, Kachukhali, and Mahananda river areas of the Sundarbans. They are taking everything they can get from fishermen’s boats. They are warning that they will have to pay a large sum of money if they enter the forest again. Nazrul Islam, a fisherman from Chunkuri village in Shyamnagar who was recently rescued from the hands of bandits, said, “On the morning of October 31, two robbers picked me up from the Dhaniakhali area of the Chunkuri river. The other fishermen who were with me paid a ransom and released them. They physically tortured me from the very beginning.” Later, on the morning of November 3, the forest department staff conducted a raid and rescued us.’ Forest dwellers who returned from the West Sundarbans on December 21 said that a large part of the weapons and ammunition loaded from various police stations in the country after the August 5 uprising had entered the Sundarbans and were being used by forest bandits, they said. If the government does not take strict action immediately, the forest dwellers’ access to the Sundarbans will be completely blocked and the forest department and the government will be deprived of revenue. The experience of Mofizur Rahman of Harinagar village in the same upazila is almost the same. He was picked up by bandits from Taktakhali area on October 31 at noon. He was later rescued in a forest department raid. Satkhira-based media worker Piyush Baulia Pintu, who works on the Sundarbans, believes that the steps taken to rehabilitate the bandits were commendable. But due to the lack of surveillance and supervision, the bandits’ mischief has increased again. Prison escapees are leading these bandits. The administration must play the highest role in controlling them. Assistant Conservator of Forests of the West Sundarbans Satkhira Range Mashiur Rahman said, “Our operation is underway. Members of our department are patrolling in plain clothes. Currently, the environment in the forest is normal.” We spoke to Additional Superintendent of Police (Kaliganj and Shyamnagar Circle) Aminur Rahman. He said that he was not aware of the formation of a bandit army in the Sundarbans consisting of jail escapees. The forest department did not inform them about the matter. He said, “Necessary action will be taken based on the information. Efforts are underway to arrest the jail escapees.