RAB ‘unearths’ ammunition in Sherpur

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has unearthed a cache of ammunition during an operation near the border at Nalitabarhi in Sherpur.

A RAB 5 team began the raid at Bhurunga Kalapani area at 8am on Monday, Abdul Warish, Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Sherpur, told bdnews24.com at noon.

 

In 2010, police seized around 13,000 ammunition for rifles from Sherpur's Jhenaigati Upazila. File photo

“The operation is still continuing.

Ammunition including 22,000 machineguns, 17,000 LMGs (light machine guns), 2,000 anti-aircraft missiles, 37 magazines, eight machines for cleaning rifles, six walkie-talkies, wireless chargers and other military equipment have been dug out.”

So far it was not clear which organisation had stored the ammunition.

Earlier in 2010, in a similar haul 13,000 rifles were recovered from Bakakura Gucchagram from Sherpur’s Jhenaigati Upazila.

At least 50,000 bullets, rockets, landmines and different varieties of weapons were found in the areas bordering India at Jhenaigati between 2007 and 2011. More bullets and AK-47 rifles were recovered from a village at Nalitabarhi in 2012.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), after recovering the landmines in 2010, said they might have belonged to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

Indian intelligence agencies say the Assamese separatist group ULFA maintained a number of camps in Sherpur during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

After the Awami League came to power and nabbed top ULFA leaders, these camps were closed down.

Their camp commander at Sherpur, Masud Ranjan Chowdhury, was arrested in Tangail.