Syed Shemul Parvez :
Illegal arms are entering the country, including the capital, from across different borders. With these illegal weapons, terrorist activities, thefts and robberies are being carried out. These illegal weapons are even used to create political unrest.
Though the smugglers are being detained with illegal weapons in every operation of police, RAB, BGB and other agencies, it has not yet been possible to completely eradicate anti-social activities and arms smugglers.
Security experts say that illegal weapons are coming into the country due to lack of strict surveillance and exemplary punishment.
Meanwhile, the law enforcers claimed that the smugglers are constantly adopting new tactics. They also conduct regular raids to arrest arms dealers.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin, Director of the RAB’s Law and Media wing, told the media that the terrorists brought most of the weapons from neighboring countries in various ways. At the same time, we have recently found out some weapons and arms factories in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar. We are conducting operations on the basis of regular intelligence information. We are also arresting the accused along with various weapons.
We are identifying those who are bringing or making these weapons and taking them under the law, RAB officials added.
According to the Border Security Force (BGB), special operations have been carried out in the last ten years and seized illegal arms worth Tk 1,000 crore.
A total of 220 people have been arrested for being involved in arms smuggling. More than 700 cases have been filed.
However, the BGB senior officers are concerned that the smugglers have not been controlled even after the seizure of a large quantity of illegal arms.
According to the BGB, the weapons seized in the last ten years include semi-machine guns (SMGs), as well as sophisticated rifles and pistols. 554 pistols, 646 guns, 58 revolvers, five rifles, one semi-machine gun (SMG), 496 magazines, 18,470 rounds of ammunition, 1,028 kg gunpowder and 94 rocket shells were during the special drives.
Lieutenant Colonel Faizur Rahaman, Director (Operation, BGB) of the BGB, told the media that International Arms Smuggling Network is behind the smugglers. No evidence has been found that members of BGB are involved in arms smuggling. On the contrary, due to increased surveillance of BGB members, huge quantities of arms have been recovered in the last 10 years, he added.
