Police in Chattogram have arrested Nasir Uddin, 43, a leader of the Dhalai Union unit of the Volunteer League, in possession of a foreign-made pistol, magazines, a single-shot gun and ammunition.
Nasir was arrested at his home in the West Dhalai area of Hathazari upazila at around 2.30am on Saturday, 26 September. Police said they recovered a foreign pistol, two magazines, a single-shot gun, also known as an LG, and 11 rounds of ammunition during the operation.
The arrest was confirmed by Mohammad Russell, additional superintendent of police in Chattogram responsible for media and traffic matters.
According to police, they received information that firearms and ammunition were being stored at Nasir’s residence. Acting on the information, officers conducted a search of the house in the early hours of Saturday and arrested him.
During the search of his bedroom, officers reportedly found a foreign-made pistol, two magazines and four rounds of 7.65mm ammunition inside a drawer of a steel wardrobe. A further search of the lower drawer of the same wardrobe led to the recovery of a single-shot gun, locally referred to as an LG, along with seven live shotgun cartridges.
Police said the cartridges bore the words ‘Shaktiman Express Made in India’ on their casing.
Following his arrest, Nasir was questioned about the firearms and ammunition found at his residence. Police said he told investigators that a friend, Mohammad Tayeb of Rauzan, had left the weapons and ammunition with him around three to four months earlier before travelling abroad.
According to Nasir’s account, Tayeb was expected to collect the firearms and ammunition after returning to Bangladesh. Police are now expected to verify that statement as part of the investigation, including the circumstances in which the weapons came into Nasir’s possession and their intended use.
The recovery of both a pistol and a single-shot firearm, along with separate types of ammunition, has become a central part of the case. Investigators will also have to establish the ownership and source of the weapons and determine whether the recovered items have any connection with previous incidents.
A case has been filed at Hathazari Police Station under the Arms Act against Nasir Uddin and Tayeb. Tayeb has been named as a fugitive accused in the case.
Police said legal proceedings against Nasir are under way, while efforts are being made to locate Tayeb. Further details about the firearms, their ownership and how they were stored at the residence are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
