(Rab) members in Supoti under Sharankhola range of the Sundarbans yesterday morning.Local fishermen identified the dead as Julfikar Ali alias Julfu, leader of a pirate gang Julfu Bahini, his associates Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Sarwar Hossain Sano and Zakir Hossain alias Meghna Zakir.
Four Rab members were also injured in the shootout, said Major Sabbir, deputy director of Rab-8.
The elite force seized four light guns, two 9mm pistols, one shutter gun, one single barrel gun, 141 bullets and a trawler used by the pirates from the spot in Bagerhat district.
Acting on a tip-off, Rab personnel went to Boro Shelar Khal in Supoti on three trawlers and challenged a gang of at least eight pirates who were roaming around the area on a trawler around 9:30am.
The gang opened fire on the law enforcers prompting them to fire back, said Major Sabbir.
The four were killed on the spot during a one and a half hours long shootout.
The other pirates disembarked on the bank of the canal and decamped the scene, he added.
Later, Rab members recovered the bodies and seized the firearms.
Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, superintendent of police of Bagerhat, said Jalfikar was an accused in four cases including murder and abduction.
A team of law enforcers from Sharankhola Police Station started for the spot in the afternoon.