A total of 1,378 arms, including 34 light machine guns (LMGs) that were looted from various places across the country during the July-August mass uprising are yet to be recovered.
Concerns lie over these unrecovered arms. The matter was discussed at the meeting of the law and order core committee on Tuesday.
A total of 5,750 arms were looted from various establishments, including various police stations and check posts, after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government by the student-people uprising on 5 August.
These looted arms included rifles, SMGs (small machine guns), LMGs, pistols, shotguns, gas guns, teargas launchers, tear shells, gas sprays, sound grenades, and bullets of various bores.
Several sources from the meeting said the core committee meeting held at the home ministry’s conference room was told that a large number of the looted arms have already been recovered while another 1,378 arms, including 34 LMGs, are yet to be retrieved.
Though the law enforcement agencies are trying to recover those arms, concerns remain whether small arms from the looted ammunition may fall at the hand of the local terrorists.
Home Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Affairs Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, Special Assistant to Chief Adviser for Home Affairs Khoda Box Chowdhury, home secretary, inspector general of police, director general of Rapid Action Battalion, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, head of police’s Special Branch, as well as representatives of Border Guard Bangladesh, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI) attended the meeting.
Meghna Alam likely to be shown arrested in criminal case
Criticism from various quarters continues following the arrest of fashion model Meghna Alam by police in the dead of night on 9 April.
The issue was also discussed at the meeting.
A decision was taken to withdraw the arrest of Meghna Alam under the Special Powers Act of 1974, but she would be shown arrested in another crime case.
Instructions were also given to maintain cautions to use the Special Powers Act in future.
After the core committee meeting, Special Assistant to Chief Adviser for Home Affairs Khoda Box Chowdhury told the journalists that it is not that Meghna Alam is the first individual to face this law. An allegation was brought against her, and the matter went to the court. So it would not be proper to talk about a matter that is under trial.
At the beginning of the briefing, a newsperson asked the home adviser why it became necessary to arrest Meghna Alam under the Special Powers Act.
In reply, Khoda Box Chowdhury, “Hearing your question it seems the government has done an illegal act. It is not that this law is not being used. They went to the court; the court asked us and we will respond to the court.”
Drawing attention of Khoda Box Chowdhury, another newsperson mentioned the law adviser remarked that the process of arrest of Meghna Alam was not proper.
In reply, he said, “We do not know in what context the law adviser said that. He did not want to know about it from us either. Now, the matter has gone to court.”
‘I didn’t say govt want to stay in power for 5 years’
Another journalist asked Home Adviser Jahangir Alam, you told an event in Sunamganj on 10 April that people want to see this government in five years. In what context did you say this?
In reply, the home adviser said, “I did not say that the government wants to stay in power for five years. People said it. The government has already announced the election will be held between December this year and June next year. I am not a politician. There is no way I can talk about it.”
Replying to a query on the reason for removal of the chief of Detective Branch of DMP, Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “Posting in police happens regularly, but he was not removed for the Meghna Alam incident. Perhaps, he is unwell. So he was removed from the post.”
Amendment to gambling act
The core committee also discussed the rising trend of gambling in the country. Money is being siphoned off the country. So, a decision has been taken to amend the existing gambling act incorporating provision on online acts, and an ordinance will be issued in this regard.
Special operation suggested preventing extortion
At the meeting, an adviser discussed that people from Dhaka to villages are exasperated with extortion.
He also expressed dissatisfaction on why the law enforcement agencies are not coming down hard on extortionists. The adviser also advised to conduct special operations against extortionists simultaneously.
At the meeting, it was also discussed that a banned outfit is observing various programmes by foreign funds. So, law enforcement agencies were ordered to trace their financiers.