On information that indigenous criminals have hoarded sophisticated arms and ammunition in Naikhangchhari, two Rab squads led by Lt Col Hasinur Rahman, commanding officer of Rajshahi Rab-5, arrived in Chittagong in the early hours Thursday.

Lt Col Hasinur held a meeting with officials of the Rab-7 of Chittagong at their Patenga Headquarters and set out for Jaraliyachhari in Naikhangchhari with one more Rab squad at around 5:00am.

The elite force reached Naikhangchhari in the afternoon and was reinforced by a team of paramilitary BDR. The joint team raided the remote and hilly Jaraliyachhari -- almost an inaccessible place surrounded by rivers and canals -- against continued downpour.

After a long and thorough search, members of the team hunted out the bullets buried in a sack at a hill at around 5:30pm.

They continued with the operation and dug out the AK47s from another hill at around 8:30pm.

The forces also recovered 50 magazines of AK47 rifle, 18 oilcans and 27 cleaning kits from the spot, but could not arrest anyone in connection with the seizure.

Rab sources suspect smugglers of the arms and ammunition fled, sensing the presence of the joint team.

The seized arms cache was brought to Patenga Rab-7 Headquarters yesterday morning. The weapons and ammunition were to be handed over to Naikhangchhari Police Station, the sources added.

Talking to reporters, Rab-7 Commanding Officer Lt Col Quazi Emdadul Haq said the arms cache might have been smuggled into the country by tribal criminals from neighbouring Myanmar, China or any other country.

The destination of these weapons might be any part of the country for committing crimes, he said. The recovered firearms and ammunition could have equipped a band of terrorists to match a huge contingent of trained force, he added.