Staff Reporter :
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel will not hesitate to use firearms against the arsonists [petrol bomb attackers] if situation demands.
Director General Major General Aziz Ahmed said it in a press conference after attending the newly introduced triennial meeting in the BGB headquarters at Pilkhana, Dhaka on Thursday.
The DG of paramilitary BGB has taken the decision of shooting the arsonists when political violence is taking a toll on lives across the country while majority of them were petrol bomb victims.
“The BGB personnel have right to save their own lives as well as people’s, if they are attacked. If someone hurl petrol bomb to people in front of me, I will not chase him with sticks. I will surely shoot him to save lives of people. There is no 2nd option,” Aziz Ahmed clarified.
He said, “At present, the BGB is not facing any problem in regular duties in the border areas because of the deployment in tackling political violence.” “BGB men will shoot if anyone is seen carrying petrol bombs. They will use firearms to save those who might suffer from burn injuries from the attack. I think, it will reduce the casualty,” he said.
“All the members of the force deployed to maintain law and order across the country are equipped with lethal weapons, he added.
Elaborating the duty of BGB personnel, he said, “Protecting the border is our prime job. At the same time, protecting the lives of the people and helping the civil authority is also very important,” said Aziz Ahmed.
The BGB has helping to maintain law and order amid the political turmoil since the BNP-sponsored blockade started on Jan 5. Government officials from 30-35 district administrations have requested the BGB deployment, the BGB Chief said, “We’ve already contacted the officials concerned and assured them that the forces will be deployed as when necessary.” Already 85 platoons of BGB are posted at different parts of the country at present while 70 more platoons are ready to join them in tackling the violence.
