http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com/new/2004/04/06/front.htm
The Bangladesh Observer, Tuesday April 06 2004 01:55:24 AM BDT
Sagar Biswas
The million-dollar arms cache in Chittagong raised a billion-dollar
question about the ultimate destination of the consignment.According to
the military experts, except Kashmir militants and Talebans, the
insurgency groups of South Asia do not usually use high velocity
rockets, which were recovered in Chittagong.
Sources said the Indian side at first informed Bangladesh authority that
a large consignment of arms and ammunition was supposed to be off loaded
at the CUFL jetty.
Being informed by the neighbouring country, the high level of the
Bangladesh government asked the concerned authority to check what had
been happening in the CUFL jetty.
Later, being directed by the high-ups, Chittagong Metropolitan Police
(CMP) authority was forced to mobilise its contingent under the command
of DC of CMP Abdullah Hel Baki for recovering the country's biggest ever
arms haul at CUFL jetty in the small hours of Friday.
Earlier, some friendly foreign countries including the USA and India
cautioned Bangladesh about terrorist activities and smuggling of
large-scale illegal weapons, sources added.
Question has been raised, about the role of Officer-in-Charge of
Karnaphuli police station. Why was he along with his force supervising
the unloading of arms and ammunition despite nabbing the smugglers and
seizure of consignment?
Similarly, question has also been raised about the role of DC of CMP
Abdullah Hel Baki and why he was withdrawn from the investigation team
suddenly?
The varieties of arms and explosives and its quantity pointed that the
gunrunners as per instruction of the purchaser delivered the whole
consignment. Usually these sorts of arms and explosives are used in
conventional warfare against any regular army.
It is clear that some locals arranged the whole matter as middlemen and
tried to unload the consignment with the help of local administration.
As well as it was impossible to bring such a huge consignment without
the knowledge of local high ups, investigators suspected.
It is learnt that the ULFA and other insurgency groups of seven sisters
of India, Maoist guerillas of Nepal, Bhutanese insurgents, and other
groups in this South Asia region usually do not use rocket. The rockets,
which were recovered in Chittagong, were actually anti tank rockets,
said an expert.
On the other hand, they also do not usually use silencers though assault
rifles and sub machineguns are very popular among them. In the
Chittagong arms cache, there was one silencer against each gun.
To avoid drawing attention of counterparts and nearest outposts,
commandos in guerilla operation use guns with silencers to destroy or
conquer any camp.
Actually, except a few groups, others have not enough funds for buying
such a kind of costly arms and ammunition. Shanti Bahini though once
fought against Bangladesh Army but their backbone was broken and they
have not much ability to buy these types of consignment.
Sources said there is a link among the insurgency groups active against
the concerned governments of South Asian countries. The consignment of
arms could reach the proper hand through different friendly insurgency
groups, assumed the investigators.
The Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) jetty has long been used
for unloading of illegal consignments for years with the knowledge of
all agencies. And it also proved that some quarter of the country is
involved in the international arms smuggling and providing necessary
supports to it.
Similar weapons were recovered at Cox's Bazar a few years ago during the
tenure of previous BNP government. But a powerful quarter hushed up the
whole matter and all the consignment of arms and ammunition were
delivered to the Bangladesh Army. Still no body knows about the fate of
the inquiry committee.
There were two types of 'guns' and explosives in the consignment. Some
of them were Chinese version of AK-47 and some other American M-16
(generally used by the US Army).
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