65 Extremists Surrender in Sirajganj's Solonga as State Minister Promises Rehabilitation Support

Sixty-five extremist and Sarbahara members from Sirajganj, Pabna and Rajbari districts have surrendered, vowing to leave the world of crime behind and return to normal life. They surrendered at a ceremony held on Sunday (November 1) at noon at the headquarters of Special Response Battalion (SRB)-12 in Solonga, Sirajganj.

Among those who surrendered, 45 are from Pabna, 13 from Rajbari and 7 from Sirajganj.

State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin assured the surrendered men of legal advice, rehabilitation and cooperation in returning to normal life. She said, “Those who have surrendered will be given legal advice. Necessary cooperation will be provided so that they can return to normal life.”

The state minister called on SRB members to carry out their duties sincerely and to come forward to help those who surrendered. She also said an initiative would be taken to launch a project to bring others still in the dark world back to the path of light, and that inquiries would be made about the arms looted after August 5.

Md. Majed Ali Munshi, who came to surrender, said, “It feels very good today to be able to leave the path of darkness and come to the path of light.”

Babu Mia alias Ainul Hossain of Pabna said, “Walking the wrong path, I have lost many things. Fifteen years have passed this way. My fellow brothers often said it had been a long time since they had been home.”

Another man who surrendered, named Alamgir, said they once wandered from place to place, and that many of them became involved in banditry after failing to get the necessities of life.

Extortion, robbery, snatching and killings were once everyday occurrences in various areas of Sirajganj, Pabna and Rajbari districts. Through the law enforcement agencies' continuous operations and successive surrenders, many members of extremist organisations in these districts have returned to normal life, and extremist activity in the areas has fallen considerably.

Continuing that trend, another 65 extremist and Sarbahara members have now surrendered and taken the initiative to return to normal life. Those concerned believe that if government support is properly ensured, their families, too, will get a chance to start life anew alongside them.

The ceremony was chaired by SRB Force-12 commander Additional DIG Md. Atikur Rahman Mia, with State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin as chief guest. Special guests included Sirajganj-5 MP Md. Amirul Islam Khan Alim, SRB Director General Additional IGP Md. Ahsan Habib Palash, Additional Director General (Operations) Colonel Iftekhar Ahmed, Rajshahi Range DIG Md. Ashik Sayeed, and Rajshahi Additional Divisional Commissioner (Development) and Joint Secretary Shahana Akhtar Jahan.