Nearly 32,000 pieces of military-style uniforms, allegedly manufactured for the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), were burnt and destroyed in Chattogram on Wednesday afternoon on the orders of a court.
The clothing – 31,875 pieces in total – was set on fire in an open field in front of the Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) police office in Mansurabad, under the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP).
Police said the uniforms were seized during two separate operations last May in the Bayazid Bostami and Pahartali police station areas of the city.
In the first operation, 20,300 pieces were recovered from a garment factory named “Ringbo Apparels” in the Bayazid Bostami area. A subsequent operation yielded approximately another 11,000 pieces.
A court magistrate, a representative of the Fire Service, and senior officials of the Metropolitan Detective Branch were present during the destruction. Due to the sheer volume of clothing, it took several hours for the fire to completely incinerate them.
CMP Deputy Commissioner (North) Md Amirul Islam said that two cases are ongoing in connection with the incident at the Bayazid and Pahartali police stations.
“The seized clothing looks very much like combat dress. An investigation is underway regarding who these were being made for,” he said.
However, the case documents have identified these as uniforms for the KNF.
According to police investigation and case information, a large syndicate was involved in the manufacturing of these uniforms. Two individuals — Golam Azam and Nia Haider — had received a contract worth Tk2 crore from a person named Monglasine Marma alias Mong to produce the clothing.
So far, three people, including the factory owner, have been arrested in connection with the incident. Those arrested have also given confessional statements under Section 164 before a court.
The KNF, an armed group active in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, has been carrying out subversive activities including bank robberies, extortion, and murders in various areas of the hill tracts for the past several years.
Law enforcement agencies believe the uniforms were being manufactured with extreme secrecy at the Chattogram garment factory for use in subversive activities and training.
Investigation officials said it is being examined whether there is any direct link between the syndicate and armed groups in the hill tracts.
