Acting on a tip-off, a Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) team led by Lt Mahabub went out for a search at the hills of Horinjhi in Dochhari upazila where criminals stored a large amount of arms and ammunition.

But before the team reached the spot at 4:00am, the criminals somehow came to know of the operation and managed to escape with huge arms and ammunition, sources said.

The BDR men then dug up the Horinjhiri Hill, and recovered two .303 rifles, 2500 bullets including 230 fresh ones, 40 magazines of AK47 with 200 bullets, four broken LMGs and some firearms making materials.

During August-September this year, the security forces recovered 20 AK47s, eight SMGs, 32 pistols, grenades, landmines, and 40,000 bullets of different categories in Jaruliachhari, Lembuchhari, Lengra Murongjhiri and Horinjhiri under Dodari union along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, army sources said.

In a bid to seize the firearms allegedly stored by the Rohingya militants in Jaruliachhari Hill area, 21 kilometres away from the upazila headquarters, the BDR has kept the area sealed off for the last three months, sources said.