Hostage rescued, weapons recovered after gunfight between joint forces, kidnappers in Teknaf Hills
Some of the recovered modern foreign firearms had been smuggled in from Myanmar, Coast Guard suspects
A gunfight broke out between joint security forces and a group of armed kidnappers in the hills of Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, in the early hours of today (6 July).
Despite the gunfight, law enforcers successfully rescued a kidnapped victim and recovered some locally-made and foreign weapons, ammunition, and illegal drugs.
Information on the operation was disclosed during a press briefing this noon by Lt Commander Salahuddin Rashid Tanvir, in charge of the Bangladesh Coast Guard's Teknaf Station.
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The rescued individual, identified as Md Sohel (20), is the son of Jahangir Alam from Noyapollan Para in Teknaf municipality.
According to Tanvir, law enforcement agencies received information late last night that a group of armed individuals had taken up position in a remote hilly area near Jadimura in Teknaf's Hnila Union.
A joint team of the Coast Guard and police launched an operation in response, Tanvir said.
Upon reaching the location, the armed criminals opened fire indiscriminately at the law enforcers, prompting them to return fire in self-defense.
During the exchange, the criminals managed to flee deeper into the hills under the cover of darkness, Tanvir added.
Subsequent searches of their hideout uncovered a G3 rifle, two foreign pistols, three locally made guns, 3,100 rounds of rifle ammunition, 14 pistol bullets, 1 kilogramme of crystal meth (ICE), and 4 litres of locally brewed liquor, Tanvir further said.
One hostage was also rescued from the scene, according to Tanvir.
The recovered firearms have been handed over to the Teknaf Police Station, and preparations for filing a case are underway, the Coast Guard official added.
According to data from Cox's Bazar District Police and accounts from victims, a total of 257 people have been abducted from various parts of Teknaf in the past 18 months.
'Some seized weapons believed to be smuggled from Myanmar'
Lt Commander Salahuddin Rashid Tanvir suspected that some of the recovered modern foreign firearms had been smuggled in from Myanmar.
"These weapons may have been looted during the ongoing conflict between Myanmar's junta and the Arakan Army," he said.
Tanvir further said on 8 December last year, Arakan Army fighters seized control of Myanmar's Maungdaw town and took over five Border Guard Police (BGP) offices, recovering arms and ammunition from the sites.
"Some of those weapons, such as the G3 rifle and foreign-made pistols recovered today, are believed to have been smuggled into Bangladesh, as these firearms are not in use by Bangladeshi forces," he added.
