DHAKA, 8 January 2006 — Intelligence agencies have begun probing reports that the militants of banned Jamatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB) were getting arms supplies from Myanmar insurgents holed up in the southeastern hill district of Bandarban.
The Myanmar insurgents, mostly Rohingya Muslims, are now locked into a battle against communist troops for a separate Muslim state called Arakan.
Sources said in Dhaka yesterday, following repeated recoveries of huge explosives, arms and ammunition in the border areas near the hill district of Bandarban, the intelligence agencies are investigating if the explosives that still remain in the hands of terrorists are being supplied to militants.
According to government statistics, one bag and two cartons of highly powerful TNT explosives were recovered from Tengra Murong Para of Naikkhongchhari sub-district on July 6 last year. Besides, 130 kg of plastic explosives, 16 containers of acid and other chemicals, five packets of gunpowder, two packets of white potash and low explosives, 1 kg lead, two packets of lead balls, components of rocket launcher, five electric wire coils, one safety fuse insulator coil and 40 battery connectors were also recovered from Lemujhiri Hills in Naikkhongchhari on Oct. 20.
Later, around 700 anti-personnel mines, other land mines, rocket launchers and 536 Arges grenades were seized from Naikkhongchhari border area.
An American team of firearms experts visited the remote areas of Naikkhongchhari in March 2004 and investigated the source and purpose of stockpiling the explosives.
Although the population of Naikkhongchhari, Ramu and Ukhiya areas in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf is only 40,000, there are hundreds of madrashas in the area, the rationale behind which has also become a puzzle to solve for the intelligence agencies.
There is an allegation that these madrashas are giving military training to poor and impressionable students for sending them to foreign countries to fight for “jihad.” However, the intelligence agencies are not sure if any of these trained youths was involved in the recent spate of countrywide bomb blasts.
Local sources said most of the students of these institutions are not seen in the locality at present.
A source in the sub-district headquarters said some local people in collusion with some foreign guerrilla groups had started manufacturing firearms at their houses at Baishari and Eidgor using lathe machines.
The locals did not dare to protest against the activities of the armed cadres of foreign Islamist groups like Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), National United Front of Arakan and Arakan Army.
The source also said a rebel group of Northeast Arakan has been using these firearms for their cause.
Earlier these people used to manufacture the firearms at their homes but now they manufacture them at other places, a resident of Baishari said seeking anonymity.
