A Rohingya man has been detained after six barrels for locally made firearms and various pieces of weapon-manufacturing equipment were recovered during a police operation at a refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
The detainee, identified as Nurul Amin, 28, was arrested by members of the 14th Armed Police Battalion (APBn) during an operation at the lower market area of Ambagan in Block G/7 of Rohingya Camp-1 East. The operation took place at around 11.30am on Thursday (12 November).
According to the APBn, a patrol team from the Lambashia Police Camp noticed a man walking through the area carrying a laptop bag. His movements aroused suspicion, prompting officers to signal him to stop. Instead, he allegedly attempted to flee on foot. Police personnel pursued and detained him.
Officers subsequently searched the bag in the presence of witnesses and recovered six barrels intended for locally manufactured single-barrel firearms, commonly known as LG guns. They also found four cut sections of stainless-steel pipe and six files believed to be used in the manufacture of firearms.
Each of the recovered barrels was approximately 14 inches long. The seized materials were taken into police custody for further examination.
The detainee is a resident of Block D/5 in Camp-2 West. His parents have been identified as Mohammad Halil and Nur Jahan.
The incident was confirmed in a press release issued at around 9pm on Thursday by Mohammad Siraj Amin, commander of the 14th Armed Police Battalion, holding the rank of Additional Deputy Inspector General.
He said the detainee and the recovered equipment were in police custody, adding that the necessary legal proceedings were under way.
The recovery has drawn attention to concerns over the availability of materials that could be used to manufacture illegal firearms inside the refugee camps. Locally made weapons can pose a serious security risk, particularly in densely populated settlements where disputes and criminal activity may threaten the safety of residents.
However, the circumstances behind the recovered equipment remain unclear. The police statement did not specify whether the detainee was manufacturing the weapons himself, whether the materials were intended for another person, or whether they were linked to any wider criminal network.
Further investigation will be needed to establish the purpose of the equipment, its intended use and whether anyone else was involved. No further details about possible charges or the outcome of the investigation had been provided in the initial statement.
