Smuggling of USA, Japan and India made small-firearms have recently been increased through various frontier routes of Chapainawabganj. According to sources, Shibganj of C'nawabganj is known as a frequent trafficking route of small firearms (SFA) for over three-decade.
These smuggled SFA are mainly used by the terrorists of the country. Law enforcement agency sources informed, illegal SFA are mainly trafficked through 30 land and water routes of the country and an updated list of those illegal fire-arms traders is being prepared. According to law enforcement agency sources, the illegal SFA are entered into the country through India and Myanmar by evading vigilance of the law enforcement agency members. Smuggling of those arms are specially increased while the water in the river is on the spate.
According to sources, Shibganj of C’nawabganj is the hub of small arms trafficking. From Shibganj, these arms are sent to various places including in Dhaka and other districts of the country. The carriers of those arms are paid Tk 7,000 to 10,000 for carrying a firearm to a certain destination. Posing as passengers of the intercity or interdistrict long route buses, gunrunners carried those arms from one place to another.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Rajshahi Ifte Khayer Alam informed, four cases have been filed under Firearms Act from June-20 to July-21. During this period Police arrested six accused and recovered five foreign pistols, one each of SBBL shotgun, shawn-off gun, Air gun, Pipegun, double barreled gun, one-shuttergun, a locally made firearm, 58 rounds of bullet and six used shells of bullets.
Deputy-Police Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Golam Ruhul Quddus informed that from Jan to August-'21, police recovered a US made pistol with one magazine and arrested three accused in this connection. On Sept-10 Rajshahi city DB police searched the luggage of the passenger Bashir Ahmed (22) of Dhaka bound intercity Ekota Paribahan and recovered two Japan made pistols, bullets and magazines from his possession and arrested him at Kashiadanga crossing of the city.
Bashir Ahmed informed the police that he and some of his partners were engaged in fire-arms smuggling for a long time. He said he was carrying those pistols, magazines and bullets to Dhaka from Shibganj of Chapainawabganj. He further said, he was just a carrier and was working under the condition of getting Tk.7,500 after handing over those arms to a certain party in Dhaka.
Deputy Police Commissioner of City DB Police Arefin Jewel informed that the words 'Made in Japan' was inscribed on the bodies of recovered pistols.
He said small firearms are mainly trafficked through two routes in the country- one is Shibganj of Chapainawabganj and the other is Benapole of Jeshore.
Meanwhile, members of RAB-5, Mollapara camp in Rajshahi have recovered 22 foreign pistols and arrested 19 alleged gun runners during March-30 to August 28 this year. Moreover, on August-28, RAB recovered one Indian pistol, one one shuttergun, two magazines and eight rounds of bullets and arrested firearms trader Nadim Ali(21) from Dhobra Bazaar of Shibganj upazila.
Commander of RAB-5, CPC Chapainawabganj camp Flight Lieutenant Maruf Hossain Khan informed the recovered pistol is made in India. Moreover, RAB also recovered one revolver, five one shutterguns, and one round of bullet from the possession of gun runners Ridoy and Shishir from Adda Bazar of Naogaon on August-23. The revolver was made in India.
Lieutenant Colonel Ziaur Rahman Taluder, Commander of RAB-5 informed that the smuggling of firearms through frontier routes increases with the increase in water level of the rivers. He said RAB members have been able to recover a large consignment of smuggled firearms recently. He added, RAB is planning to conduct joint operations with BGB to resist smuggling of firearms and drugs. An updated list of Godfathers and the carriers of firearms and drugs is also being prepared, he added.
Abdul Baten, DIG of Rajshahi Range informed, the smuggling increases with the increase of water level in the river but there is no alarming information regarding the fire-arms smuggling in the region. However, police were always vigilant to resist any sort of smuggling, he added.
