United News of Bangladesh

Police uncovered an alleged long-running arms manufacturing operation run under the cover of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw workshop in Hathazari upazila of Chattogram. During a raid early Tuesday, police recovered five firearms, including a locally made pen gun, 20 rounds of ammunition and various equipment used for making weapons.  Chattogram District Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam said police launched surveillance after receiving intelligence about a gang manufacturing and supplying illegal firearms. As part of the operation, a team led by Additional Superintendent of Police of Hathazari Circle Kazi Md Tarek Aziz raided Mansurabad Colony in Mirzapur Union around 2am on Tuesday. Police detained Md Jamal Hossain alias Jamal Mistry, 44, and Md Kabir, 47, during the raid. One pen gun, four locally made pistols, 18 pen-gun bullets and two pistol bullets were recovered from their possession, police said. During initial interrogation, the detainees told police that locally made firearms were manufactured at Osman's CNG auto-rickshaw workshop at Sarkarhat Bazar in Hathazari and later supplied for sale in different areas. Police said the operation helped identify an important source of illegal firearm manufacturing and bring members of the alleged arms supply network under the law. Police are continuing efforts to arrest Osman and others allegedly involved in the operation, Superintendent Masud Alam said. He added that Chattogram District Police would continue operations and legal action to prevent the spread of illegal firearms and dismantle their sources.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have unearthed an illegal arms manufacturing factory and arrested two people along with arms in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district. The arrestees were identified as Jahangir Alam and Md Emon. Read: Two arrested with gold bars worth over Tk 13cr in Jashore Tapash Karmakar, senior assistant superintendent of police and director (media) of Rab-7 on Wednesday said a team of Rab-7 conducted a drive in Pathorighona hill area of the upazila and unearthed the illegal arms making factory on Tuesday. Later, they also arrested two people from there along with three locally made guns, one sharp weapon and huge arms making equipment. Read: 2 fugitive war crimes accused arrested in Satkhira Jahangir has long been involved in making arms and supplying those to the criminals including pirates, drug peddlers and members of robber gangs, said Tapash. They lived in the area in the guise of farmers. Read: 2 arrested with 720 grams of heroin in Naogaon Besides, Jahangir was wanted in several cases including that of robbery and drugs, said Rab.

An illegal arms factory being run out of a dense forest area in Cox's Bazar was unearthed by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Thursday. The tip-off about the factory in Pekua upazila came from an illegal arms supplier who was detained by members of the elite force earlier in the day. The detainee has been identified as Delwar Hossain Delu, son of Ali Chan from the Gudikata area in the south of Toitong union in the upazila. Also read: Arms seized at Ctg port: One held In fact, a Rab-15 team conducted a drive in the Cheptamura forest area in Toitong union and first arrested Delu, Lt Colonel Khairul Islam, its commander, told reporters. During questioning, he disclosed the location of the factory and it was raided. Five firearms and some gun-making were seized, the commander said. An accomplice of Delu, however, managed to flee during the raid, he added. Delu was wanted in at least seven cases of murder, robbery and land grabbing. Also read: Arms, ammo recovered from Habiganj Satchhari forest