July 2: About 2,000 terrorists and at least 37 arms smuggling syndicates, operating in Chittagong, have kept over one crore people of the port city hostage for quite a long time. Most of the terrorists possess illegal arms and ammunition. The law-enforcing agency could do very little to bring the terrorists to book.

The government is concerned over the situation and would take special measure to stop the arms smuggling in the country, it is learnt. Besides, an expert team from the USA visited the port city Chittagong from March 1 to 7 last to know the routes of arms smuggling and to get an overview of the illegal arms. The team also visited the adjoining areas of Chittagong particularly the tourist city Cox’s Bazar. The two-member team visited the recovered firearms there. According to an order of the home ministry the law enforcing agencies helped the team during the visit.

Sources said, the team saw the recovered firearms particularly, which were made by the USA. The team expressed their concern over the illegal firearms that were smuggled from the USA to Bangladesh.

The law enforcing and intelligence agencies prepared report on illegal arms smuggling in Chittagong in March last. The agencies were concerned about the routes of the arms smuggling in the country.

Police sources said, the illegal firearms change hands and places quickly. So it becomes difficult for the police to recover the firearms. Though there are many illegal firearms, the use of these are limited now due to the intensified operations of the law enforcing agencies, police sources said.

According to the sources, the Rohinga and Arakanese groups are mainly involved with the arms smuggling. Around 60 KM of border area at Teknaf under Cox’s Bazar district, which remain open due to lack of security measure by the government, is one of the main routes for arms smuggling. The criminals manage to enter Bangladesh territory with arms without any resistance. They supply the arms to the criminals, terrorists groups in the country. They also maintain several offices in the port city Khagrachhari and Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar and capital city Dhaka to make liaison with the criminal groups, sources said.

Sources said, illegal arms are available in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Rangamati. The syndicates are mostly active in the urban and rural areas of Chittagong, interior area of three-hill districts Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati. Besides, the criminal syndicates are also active in Moheshkhali, Nakhangchhari and Technaf of Cox’s Bazar district. In recent time, the activities of the syndicates have alarmingly increased in Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar districts.

Sources said, at least 37 illegal arms smuggling syndicates are active in Chittagong. Some 50 thousand illegal firearms including several hundred sophisticated weapons like AK-47, AK-56, M-16, SMG, SMC with a huge stock of ammunition are reported to be in the possession of the underworld criminals in Chittagong. There are also arms manufacturing workshops here.

The port city of Chittagong and its adjoining areas are being used by the under world notorious criminals as the major transit point of illegal arms. Sea is the main route of entrance of the illegal arms in the port city from various countries. Moreover, the land borders also provide alternative routes, sources said.

According to the CMP list, more than 933 criminals are active in the port city. Of them 150 are professional killers, 261 are illegal-arms holder and arms smugglers, 453 are extortionists and 800 are muggers. There are also 76 top terrorists in Chittagong who have individual cadres groups at their respective areas, police sources said. At present, according to CMP list, 107 criminals are engaged in abduction.

Sources said, among 933 criminals, 664 have been arrested and 269 could manage to escape. Of 76 top terrorists, 60 have been arrested. Of the arrested criminals, the court granted bail to 322 persons and 342 are now in jail. Of 261 illegal arms holders and arms smugglers, police could arrest 141 and others could manage to escape.

According to the new list of district police, 779 criminals are active in the 14 thana areas of Chittagong district. Last year, 579 criminals were active in the district, police sources said.

Sources said, the top terrorists of Chittagong and their groups also possess a countable number of modern sophisticated weapons. These illegal arms are supplied to the terrorist of Dhaka and other parts of the country from Chittagong.

Meanwhile, the terrorists and criminals are hiding. All of the 2000 terrorists are not from Chittagong. Many of them hails from different parts of the country, CMP sources said.