MONGLA, April 21, (V7N) — The Coast Guard has arrested Abdus Samad Molla (35), second‑in‑command of the notorious Chhota Suman Bahini, during a visit to his family in Rampal, Bagerhat. The arrest was made late Monday night in a special operation, and subsequent raids led to the recovery of arms and ammunition hidden in the Sundarbans.

Coast Guard Media Officer Lt. Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said the arrest was part of ongoing drives under Operation Restore Peace in Sundarbans and Operation Mangrove Shield, launched to eliminate forest robbers. He noted that Samad’s capture marks another success in the campaign to free the mangrove forest from piracy.

Samad, a long‑time associate of Chhota Suman Bahini, was detained near Shukdara Bazar after leaving the forest to meet his family. Acting on his information, Coast Guard teams raided the Nandawala Canal area of Mongla early Tuesday and recovered one single‑barrel gun, one air gun, and two rounds of live ammunition buried underground.

Authorities said Samad had been involved in robberies across the Sundarbans for years. Legal proceedings regarding the seized weapons and his arrest are underway.

The Coast Guard reiterated its commitment to continue operations until the Sundarbans is completely rid of pirates, stressing that the crackdown will intensify in the coming weeks.

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