Bagha: A special joint operation titled “Operation First Light” has been conducted across various char areas in the Padma River, encompassing four upazilas: Bagha of Rajshahi, Bera and Ishwardi of Pabna, Lalpur of Natore, and Daulatpur of Kushtia. Police sources revealed that 21 members of the ‘Kakon Bahini’, a group that has long been terrorizing these river island areas, have been apprehended.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Rajshahi Range, Dr. Mohammad Shahjahan, addressed a press conference at his office, announcing the recovery of ten foreign-made firearms, a large cache of local weapons, narcotics, and a motorcycle from the operation. He confirmed that twenty-one members of the Kakon Bahini were detained during this extensive operation.
DIG Shahjahan further elaborated that six cases have been registered against the gang across the districts of Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna, and Kushtia. The operation follows a violent incident on 27 October, where a gunfight over territorial dominance in Choddohazar mouza’s Khanpara area resulted in the deaths of three individuals. This clash took place in the bordering regions of Daulatpur in Kushtia, Bagha in Rajshahi, and Lalpur in Natore. A case was subsequently filed at Daulatpur Police Station against the gang leader Hasinuzzaman Kakon and his associates.
The group, known as “Kakon Bahini”, has been implicated in numerous criminal activities, including indiscriminate shootings, murder, looting of crops and sand, kidnapping, and extortion, as highlighted by DIG Shahjahan during the press briefing.