<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have launched a special drive to free the world’s largest mangrove forest, Sundarbans, from robbers – to ensure security of fishermen.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A special team named “Elite Tigers” of the battalion launched the drive on Saturday noon through a long range patrolling in Sharankhola, Joymoni, Baroitala, Andarmanik, Mrigamari and others spots. The drive will continue while another team, “Bengal Tigers”, with trawlers is kept standby to response to emergency calls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Robbers abducted 11 fishermen from different areas of the Sundarbans between December 13 and 18.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last Wednesday, police claimed that the robbers left the fishermen in the face of their drives. Some of the rescued fisherman, however, claimed that they were released after paying ransom to the abductors. Police denied this claim.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commandant Md Badruzzoha, of Rab-6, said they launched the special drive to bring the robbers, who recently kidnapped fishermen, under the law through identification.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are determined to free the Sundarbans from the criminals at any cost,” Lt Col Mostak Ahmed, commandant of the Rab-6, said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Rab officer further said that law enforcers will always stand by the fishermen to provide security. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>