bdnews24.com :
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) says it has busted a firearms factory adjacent to a Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya Upazila.
Major Mehedi Hasan, deputy commanding officer of RAB-15, said law enforcers had raided the factory near the Kutupalong Extension-4 Rohingya Camp early on Monday morning and detained three people along with 10 firearms and equipment used to manufacture weapons.
The detainees have been identified as Baitullah, 19, his brother Habib Ullah, 32, and Mohammad Hasan, 24.
“We heard that a group had established an arms factory in the hill area and had been manufacturing weapons for some time,” Mehedi said. “They were supplying those weapons to criminals. One of our teams conducted a raid in the area early in the morning based on this information.”
Describing the operation, Mehedi said: “When RAB reached the area, the criminals opened fire on them. RAB fired back in self-defence. At one point, RAB took control of the arms factory.”
Several criminals fled, but RAB was able to detain three of them, the major said.
“The detainees say they supplied these weapons to the criminal gangs in the Rohingya camps.”
Cases will be filed against them at Ukhiya Police Station, he added.
Asked by reporters about the incident, RAB spokesman Khandaker Al Moin said: “There has been an increase in criminal attacks in the vicinity of the refugee camp recently. Our intelligence network and surveillance has also been increased accordingly.”
According to sources, the raid was carried out after a weapons repair factory was found in a cave on a hill.
“Three people have been arrested in the operation. We’ve acquired information from them on what weapons they have, where they’re using it, and who’s abusing it,” Al Moin said.
No casualties were reported during the operation.
“We hope to see more such operations in the future,” he said, adding that RAB had stepped up its intelligence efforts in the area.
