Cox’s Bazar Correspondent:

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) busted a ‘den of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)’ near Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar district and arrested two suspected Rohingya criminals early Wednesday.

One of the arrestees was identified as Md Shahnur alias Master Salim, 38, chief coordinator and commander of ARSA, son of Syedul Abera and Md Riaz, 27, son of Mohammad Nur.

The elite force also recovered huge arms and ammunition including one revolver, nine ammunition, one LG gun, three cartridges, five grenades, three rifle grenades, ten hand-made grenades, and a rocket shell from the den, said the Commanding officer of RAB-15, Lieutenant Colonel Sazzad Hossain.

The seized grenades, bombs and rocket shells were destroyed in the presence of the bomb disposal unit of Bangladesh Army.

The members of RAB-15 encircled Lal Hill along the Rohingya Ukhiya camp around 2 am on Wednesday.

Sensing the presence of the elite force, the criminal opened fire on RAB, prompting them to fire back, triggering a gunfight.

In 2023, 64 people were killed by terrorist groups in Rohingya camps for various reasons, including establishing dominance in the camps. In 2024, 16 Rohingyas have so far been killed in the camp, according to RAB.