Cox’s Bazar, Sept 10 (V7N) - Law enforcement agencies have arrested several alleged criminals in separate operations in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar, including a fugitive convicted in an arms case, while two wanted suspects surrendered to police amid ongoing joint security operations in the border district.

Fugitive convicted in arms case arrested in Ukhiya

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested Mahmudul Hasan, 36, a fugitive who was sentenced to 17 years of rigorous imprisonment in an arms case in Ukhiya.

RAB said Hasan is an active member of the Arsa, a banned armed organization operating around the Rohingya refugee camps.

He was arrested during a raid in the area of Rohingya Camp No. 7 in Ukhiya around noon on Wednesday, Sept. 9. A team from RAB-15’s CPC-2 conducted the operation based on confidential information and with the assistance of information technology.

According to RAB, Hasan had been on the run for a long time.

He is the son of the late Jalil Box and a resident of Block E-9 of Lombashia Rohingya Camp-2 East in Ukhiya.

RAB’s preliminary investigation found that Hasan was an active member of Arsa, which authorities describe as a banned armed organization based in the Rohingya camp areas. A court had sentenced him to 17 years of rigorous imprisonment in an arms case, following which he remained at large for an extended period.

After his arrest, Hasan was handed over to Ukhiya Police Station for further legal action, RAB-15 said.

Assistant Director of RAB-15’s Law and Media Branch, A.M. Faruk, said such operations would continue to maintain law and order in the Rohingya camp areas.

Police arrest 10 in Ukhiya

In a separate operation, Ukhiya police arrested 10 people accused in various cases across the upazila early Wednesday.

The detainees were later sent to the Cox’s Bazar court in the afternoon, according to Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Atikur Rahman.

Police said four of those arrested were wanted in General Register (GR) cases, two were wanted in Complaint Register (CR) cases and one was an accused in a regular case. Another person was sent to court after completing a period of remand.

Police also arrested two people under Section 290 of the Penal Code, bringing the total number of people sent to court to 10.

Two wanted suspects surrender in Teknaf

Meanwhile, amid ongoing joint operations by law enforcement agencies in Teknaf, two wanted suspects — one identified by police as a robbery suspect and another accused in a human trafficking case — surrendered separately on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Police later showed the human trafficking suspect as arrested and sent him to the Cox’s Bazar court, according to Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam.

Police said that during a joint operation on Sept. 8 involving the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Teknaf Model Police, RAB, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar, Nur Hossain, also known as Nur Hasan, 27, a resident of Noyapara Rohingya Refugee Camp, surrendered at the Noyapara Registered Police Camp.

According to police, seven cases, including charges related to arms and extortion, are pending against Hossain. Two arrest warrants have also been issued against him.

On the same day, Md Hossain Driver, 40, an accused in a human trafficking case, surrendered at the Baharchhara Police Investigation Centre. He is a resident of Kachhapia area in Baharchhara Union.

Police said seven cases, including a human trafficking case, are pending against him and that two arrest warrants had been issued. He was subsequently shown as arrested under the warrants and sent to court.

Teknaf Model Police Station OC Mohammad Saiful Islam said both men had multiple cases against them and had remained absconding for a long time. He added that operations to arrest other wanted suspects would continue.

The two men, who had previously been involved in various criminal activities, expressed their determination to return to normal life through the legal process, according to law enforcement officials.

Authorities said people involved in robbery, human trafficking and other crimes would be assisted through the legal process if they wanted to abandon criminal activities and return to normal life. They also said voluntary surrenderers and their family members would not be subjected to unnecessary harassment.

However, law enforcement agencies said they would continue to maintain a zero-tolerance policy against crime.

Three detained with firearms and ammunition in Teknaf

In another separate operation, BGB detained three people with firearms and ammunition in the Main Beach area of Teknaf.

BGB alleged that the detainees were members of an armed robbery group. The operation resulted in the seizure of one locally made single-shot gun, seven rounds of ammunition, a pistol-like toy gun, a Chinese axe and an easy-bike.

The three detainees were later handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station, BGB said.

The operation was conducted in the early hours of Wednesday, Sept. 9, in an area under the jurisdiction of Sea Beach Border Outpost of the Teknaf Battalion (2 BGB).

According to BGB, acting on intelligence information, its personnel took up strategic positions in the Main Beach area at around 2 a.m. At approximately 3:15 a.m., they spotted several suspected individuals travelling in an easy-bike along Marine Drive Road toward the Shishu Park area.

When BGB personnel signalled the vehicle to stop, the driver and passengers allegedly ignored the order and attempted to flee. After a chase, one person was detained with a Chinese axe.

BGB personnel continued the operation for nearly two hours and detained two more people, while two others managed to escape.

During questioning, the detainees allegedly disclosed that firearms had been concealed underneath the easy-bike. A subsequent search uncovered a specially constructed compartment containing one single-shot gun, seven rounds of ammunition and a pistol-like toy gun.

BGB also seized a Chinese axe, a button mobile phone and the easy-bike allegedly used in the robbery.

The detainees were identified as Al Amin, 19, of Godarbil; Nurul Absar, 26, of Maheshkhaliapara; and Robiul Hasan, 21, of Godarbil in Teknaf.

Lieutenant Colonel Md. Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, commander of the Teknaf Battalion (2 BGB), confirmed the operation.

A regular case has been filed against the three detainees, and they were subsequently handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station along with the seized firearms, ammunition, easy-bike and other items, BGB said.

END/MSI/SMA/