Syed Shemul Parvez :
Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) are looking for 57 people who had used the sophisticated and semi-automatic weapons of military brand Uzi.
In this condition, they have already issued the letters for the six arms importing companies in the city.
Name of the purchasers of Uzi brand military grade weapons for the last five years have been wanted on a list. After getting the list of names, the detective police will investigate the matter and report it to the Home Ministry, said Golam Mostafa Russell, Deputy Commissioner (DB) of the Tejgaon division of DMP.
After arresting a drug dealer named Minal Sharif on August 20, the Detective Police recovered an Uzi brand pistol from him with a license. After the rescue, the investigation was started.
Intelligence officials found that sophisticated pistols of 2+2 point bore had been imported instead of 2+2 point bore rifles.
Intelligence officials said that after recovering the Uzi pistol against a point 2+2 license, they sent the weapon to the EME branch of the Bangladesh Army for testing and sought expert’s opinion. The weapon was later identified as a military-grade weapon by Army Headquarters, who described it as smart and sophisticated.
Besides, it is also more sophisticated than the pistols used by the law enforcement of the country. Its magazine capacity is around twenty rounds. The maximum magazine capacity of the pistols used in the Bangladesh Army is only 15 rounds.
After getting this opinion, the law enforcement forces became surprised.
Police officials believe that if these sophisticated weapons reach the hands of militant or terrorist groups in the country, it will become a huge threat to law and order.
An intelligence official said there are about 84 licensed arms dealerships companies across the country. Of these, 14 companies import arms directly from abroad. The rest of the companies generally buy weapons at wholesale prices from these 14 companies and retail them against the licenses.
Among the importing companies, 12 are in the capital Dhaka, the official said.
The intelligence officer said that they have found through various documents that in the last five years since 2015, six companies have imported this Uzi brand pistols and rifles. These are MH Arms Co., Moin Arms Co., Ahmed Hossain Arms Co., Tozammel Hossain arms co., K Ahmed Arms & Co. and Shafiqul Islam Arms & Co.
Among these six organizations, MH Arms Co. imported around 50 Uzi pistols. Of these, 23 have already been sold. Moin Arms Co. imported 10 Uzi pistols and twenty Uzi rifles.
Intelligence officials also said a Uzi pistol is generally sold for TK 3.5 lakh to TK 4.5 lakh. They have already collected the names and addresses of the buyers by sending letters to these six arms importers.
After getting the full address of buyers’, a report will be prepared considering their social and political status.
If it seems dangerous using of Uzi pistol, a letter will be sent to the Home Ministry recommending revocation of their weapons license too.
According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, based on the report of the detective police, they have already sent the matter in writing to the Home Ministry.
The letter noted that taking advantage of the ambiguity of the law, then need to confiscate all such weapons, including imported, sold and stockpiled Uzi pistols.
The recommendation also states that the weapons can be confiscated and given to law enforcement for using.
Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) are looking for 57 people who had used the sophisticated and semi-automatic weapons of military brand Uzi.
In this condition, they have already issued the letters for the six arms importing companies in the city.
Name of the purchasers of Uzi brand military grade weapons for the last five years have been wanted on a list. After getting the list of names, the detective police will investigate the matter and report it to the Home Ministry, said Golam Mostafa Russell, Deputy Commissioner (DB) of the Tejgaon division of DMP.
After arresting a drug dealer named Minal Sharif on August 20, the Detective Police recovered an Uzi brand pistol from him with a license. After the rescue, the investigation was started.
Intelligence officials found that sophisticated pistols of 2+2 point bore had been imported instead of 2+2 point bore rifles.
Intelligence officials said that after recovering the Uzi pistol against a point 2+2 license, they sent the weapon to the EME branch of the Bangladesh Army for testing and sought expert’s opinion. The weapon was later identified as a military-grade weapon by Army Headquarters, who described it as smart and sophisticated.
Besides, it is also more sophisticated than the pistols used by the law enforcement of the country. Its magazine capacity is around twenty rounds. The maximum magazine capacity of the pistols used in the Bangladesh Army is only 15 rounds.
After getting this opinion, the law enforcement forces became surprised.
Police officials believe that if these sophisticated weapons reach the hands of militant or terrorist groups in the country, it will become a huge threat to law and order.
An intelligence official said there are about 84 licensed arms dealerships companies across the country. Of these, 14 companies import arms directly from abroad. The rest of the companies generally buy weapons at wholesale prices from these 14 companies and retail them against the licenses.
Among the importing companies, 12 are in the capital Dhaka, the official said.
The intelligence officer said that they have found through various documents that in the last five years since 2015, six companies have imported this Uzi brand pistols and rifles. These are MH Arms Co., Moin Arms Co., Ahmed Hossain Arms Co., Tozammel Hossain arms co., K Ahmed Arms & Co. and Shafiqul Islam Arms & Co.
Among these six organizations, MH Arms Co. imported around 50 Uzi pistols. Of these, 23 have already been sold. Moin Arms Co. imported 10 Uzi pistols and twenty Uzi rifles.
Intelligence officials also said a Uzi pistol is generally sold for TK 3.5 lakh to TK 4.5 lakh. They have already collected the names and addresses of the buyers by sending letters to these six arms importers.
After getting the full address of buyers’, a report will be prepared considering their social and political status.
If it seems dangerous using of Uzi pistol, a letter will be sent to the Home Ministry recommending revocation of their weapons license too.
According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, based on the report of the detective police, they have already sent the matter in writing to the Home Ministry.
The letter noted that taking advantage of the ambiguity of the law, then need to confiscate all such weapons, including imported, sold and stockpiled Uzi pistols.
The recommendation also states that the weapons can be confiscated and given to law enforcement for using.
