Our correspondent from Ban-darban says the members of Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Bangladesh Police in a joint drive retrieved the huge amount of ammunition from Lemuchhari, a bordering area under Naikkhongchhari.

A mine detecting team of Bangladesh Army was also with them.

Lt Col Abdul Awal, the comman-ding officer of Naikkhongchhari BDR zone, led this special operation which was carried out acting upon a secret information. The security forces surrounded the area and recovered the bullets by digging soil.

"The operation is not yet closed, the mine detecting team is continuing the search with metal detectors and we are expecting to recover more arms and ammunition from there," official spokesman of the joint forces in Bandarban region said.

On Saturday evening, BDR also seized 32 foreign-made pistols, 5,000 bullets and 64 empty magazines of pistols.

"The security forces could not arrest any criminals in this operation, but time is not far when they will be caught," the spokesman added.

Official sources said the special operation was started on August 19 at Naikkhongchhari, Thanchi and Alikadam bordering areas, including inaccessible parts.

About 2,000 jawans of army, BDR and police took part in this operation which was supervised by Bandarban army regional headquarters.

Our correspondent from Rangamati adds: An army team seized one AK47 rifle and 15 bullets at Bongaltoli near Baghaichhari upazila early yesterday.

Acting on a tip off, an army team raided a house in the area and found the rifle and the ammunition wrapped up in a polythene bag.

They picked up the housewife, Laksmi Rani Chakma, 35, as the owner of the house was not present during the raid, sources said.

Later, army personnel raided some other suspected hideouts and rounded up two others, Ripon Kumar Chakma, 25, and Milon Chakma, 28, in this connection.