Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Thursday that the Bay of Bengal and all coastal areas of the country will be declared free of pirates and robbers soon.

“The law enforcement agencies are working relentlessly to contain criminal activities. We will control the criminal activities, including terrorism and militancy, at any cost, and none will be spared in this regard,” the home minister warned.

The minister said these while addressing as the chief guest at a programme organised on the occasion of the surrender of pirates at Elite Hall of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7) in the city’s Patenga area.

Addressing the programme, Asaduzzman said they would not show mercy to anyone. Those who will not leave the profession of piracy will face dire consequences.

Law enforcers are working for the security of people in coastal areas, and pirates got cornered there. But they are inspired by the good condition of former pirates in the Sundarbans, the minister observed. He also thanked the pirates who came forward to return to normal life and the journalists for their cooperation. “A female pirate also surrendered today. They are sometimes tortured and forced to engage in these activities while local influential people also work behind them,” he stated.

Highlighting the contribution of Rab forces in combating piracy, the minister said Rab, as a task force, started working to free the Sundarbans from pirates in 2012, aiming at protecting the lives of marginalised people. On 2 November 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the Sundarbans free of pirates.

Urging the pirates, who are yet to surrender, to come back to normal life, Azaduzzaman, assured support for the surrendered pirates, except those accused of cases filed for rape and murder.

Lawmaker MA Latif, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, Rab Director General M Khurshid Hossain, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Tofail Islam, Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy, and Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nur E Alam Mina spoke in the programme presided over by the Rab-7 Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahbub Alam.

Among the surrendered pirates, Mahmud Karim and Jasim Uddin shared their experiences there.

A total of 50 pirates from 12 groups in the coastal areas of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar surrendered with 78 firearms and ammunition under the supervision of Rab-7 on Thursday.

RAB-7 Senior Assistant Director (Media) Md Sharif-Ul-Alam said the pirates, including a female member, surrendered unconditionally, and three of them are on the list prepared by the home ministry.

The deposited firearms and ammunition include 35 single-barrel guns, 17 SBBLs, 17 one-shooter guns, one double-barrel gun, one pistol, one revolver, three foreign pistols, one SMG, two air guns, and 283 rounds of bullet and cartridge.