AS per directives of Election Commission, the law enforcement agencies are going to launch a countrywide search operation likely from Sunday to recover illegal arms with a view to ensuring safety of general people during 11th parliamentary election scheduled on December 30. The Public Safety Division of Home Ministry on Thursday issued necessary directions to the Police Headquarters in this regard. Additional Secretary (Political and ICT) of Public Safety Division Abu Bakar Siddique told the media that they haven’t got any instruction from the EC about the licensed arms holders. Already the intelligence agencies have prepared a list of the suspected illegal arms dealers and users who will be the main target during the police drive.
Drive against illegal weapons is a routine work of police department and usually they conduct the drive almost often. Even so, some hardcore criminals, drug dons and arms dealers stay out of touch and control illegal arms trade either hiding inside the country or staying abroad. Police said they have increased vigilance to exactly know how the illegal arms are smuggled into the country. According to information divulged by intelligence officials, there are more than 300 illegal arms holders only in Dhaka.
Apart from selling, these arms dealers also rent their weapons in different parts of the country as per demand. In particular, the demands of illegal arms rise during election time. It’s an old phenomenon that a section of politicians depend on arms and muscle power being failed to gain popularity from ordinary people. They maintain arms-cader groups apparently to maintain supremacy in the locality. For them, it becomes a big challenge for authorities concern to hold election peacefully without any violence. If illegal arms-ammunition could be recovered successfully, the possibility of electoral violence is automatically reduced.
We must say, the law enforcers should remain cautious about possible use of licensed guns too. In fact, holding of a violence-free election will depend upon the controlling of caders and thugs. Not only police, the general people also must come forward to provide necessary support to the law enforcers. A peaceful election is a precondition of democracy.