Mortar shells found in Jamuna destroyed by army in Tangail

Eleven mortar shells recovered from the Jamuna River in Tangail's Bhuiyanpur upazila were destroyed by army personnel in a remote char area today.

A bomb disposal team from Shaheed Salahuddin Cantonment in Ghatail safely detonated the shells on a char island of the Jamuna, located some distance from Nalin Bazar, said Md Tariqul Islam, assistant commissioner (land) of Bhuiyanpur.

The mortar shells were recovered yesterday evening from Patitapara area on the riverbank. They were found rusted and lying together, said AKM Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhuiyanpur Police Station.

According to Shahidul Islam, a member of Nikrail union parishad, a local first spotted the shells while fishing. He alerted nearby residents, who then informed the police. Law enforcers recovered the mortar shells and handed them over to the local army camp.

Locals believe the mortar shells may date back to the 1971 Liberation War.

Fighters from the Kaderia Bahini had reportedly destroyed a Pakistani warship carrying weapons in this part of the river in 1971, and the shells are believed to have originated from that vessel.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Major Sanjid, who led the army's bomb disposal unit, confirmed the disposal and said the ISPR had been informed.

Asked about the origin of the shells, he said they could not be sure how old they were or what country they were made in.

"They could be from the Liberation War period or even earlier," he added.