Law enforcement agencies conducted a joint drive at places under Raujan upazila in Chattogram district between Wednesday night and Thursday morning and recovered 11 illegal light guns and a large number of locally-made sharp weapons from there.
They conducted the joint drive in the backdrop of deterioration of law and order situation in the upazila in the past 15 months, when at least 18 people were killed there in incidents reportedly over political rivalry, strife for dominance and extortion.
Chattogram district superintendent of police Md Saiful Islam Shantu at a press briefing at his office in the port city on Thursday said that the members of the police, Rapid Action Battalion, River Police and the 9th Armed Police Battalion conducted the joint drive and seized eight LGs, six bullets, 14 daggers, five machetes, two swords, and an electric cutter.
He said that they conducted the drive in Noapara, Bagowan, East and West Gujra, Sultanpur, Kadolpur, Raujan union parishad and the municipality areas.
He said that five people were arrested during the drive for committing various offences.
Seventeen temporary check-posts were set up to inspect vehicles and individuals seen as suspicious.
The officers also seized 28 motorcycles and one truck for irregularities and filed 37 cases under the Motor Vehicles Act.
In a separate drive in Raujan upazila, members of the RAB-7 also recovered three LGs, and two swords, RAB officials said.
The police superintendent also said that significant progress had been made in the investigation into the widely discussed murder of Raujan businessman Hakim.
Six suspects have been arrested so far, two of whom have given confessional statements, he said.
According to district police, since January this year, the police have recovered 577 firearms, 462 bullets and 206 cartridges,
A total of 96 cases have been filed under the Arms Act, and 140 suspects were arrested in Chattogram district during the period.
