There has been an explosion of crimes using firearms and explosives. Compared to the previous year, during the one year from July 2013 to last June firearms and explosives – related crimes have increased by about 76 per cent. During the same period, all types of crimes including murder, robbery, hooliganism and women persecution have increased. But crimes using firearms and explosives have surpassed all others. People concerned think that these types of crimes have increased as the law enforcers were kept engaged in duties to contain anarchy over election violence and trial of war crimes. This information has been gathered from police sources. Security analysts have expressed concern over the rise in arms – explosives related crimes. They have expressed the opinion for sending back the law enforcers to their normal duties. Side by side, they have also called for recovering the illegal firearms and explosives. They have also urged for stopping the issuance of firearms licence on political consideration. In a comparison of the crimes committed during 2013 July to June 2014 and July 2012 to June 2013 it is found that firearms – explosives related crimes have increased most. In 2013 – 2014 year 951 firearms and explosive - related crimes took place. In the previous year the number of such crimes was 541. When wanted to know the reason for rise in firearms and explosives - related crimes security analyst Maj Gen Abdus Rashid said that not only the firearms and explosives - related crimes have increased, but an analysis of the crimes committed during last two years shows that almost all types of crimes have increased. Among them the firearms – explosives related crimes have increased more. The reason for rise in such crimes is that law enforces were busy otherwise. They were not engaged in their routine duties. They were busy in containing the disturbance created over election and war crimes trial. It was because of the engagement of law enforcers in this work that murder and women persecution have increased. Along with these crimes firearms and explosives - related crimes also increased. Crimes have increased in last May-June due to reducing the activities of RAB. The former army officer thinks the illegal arms should be recovered in order to control the arms and explosives-related offences. Licence of the arms should not be granted on political consideration. Besides, RAB should be reactivated like past in this regard. Sources within the government alleged that massive irregularities were committed in granting firearms licence in last one decade. The decision not to grant more than one firearms was violated. The influential people managed to secure several arms. These arms were misused in various ways. Nayaranganj-7 killings prime accused Nur Hossain took the licence of two firearms. He did not surrender the arms despite cancellation of the licence. One of the two arms loaded with bullets was recovered from Malibagh level-crossing. The brother-in-law of Nur Hossain was carrying the arms in a car which was hit by a train. At that stage, inmates of the car abandoned the vehicle along with the arms. After assumption of power by this government in 2009, it was a great challenge to maintain law and order by controlling the offence related to fire-arms and explosives, said the sources. The arms and explosives-related offence reached its climax within five years at that moment. Gradually the situation improved. A number of 1,968 arms and explosives offences took place in 2009-10 but it came to 541 in 2012-13. Rising by 76 percent, the number was 951 in 2013-14. Although the law enforcement agencies showed the violent protest against the war crimes trial and the January 5 parliamentary polls contributed to the increase in arms and explosives-related offences. But all sorts of offence were committed that time beyond the categories mentioned by the law enforcement agencies. It is learnt that the government has no statistics about the legal and illegal firearms. The Home Ministry gives approval for pistol and revolver while Deputy Commissioners shotgun and other arms. The Home Ministry is ignorant of the number of arms issued by DCs. The government is devoid of information about the licence issued from 1971 till date. Frequent moves of the government to collect the data ended in fiasco. A police guideline on the issuance of licence and use of firearms is yet to be formulated. According to the Home Ministry, the DCs are knowledgeable about the licence granted as of now but they know nothing about number of the cancelled and expired licences. Sources said there is no central data archive about the number of licensed firearms but a list stating the names of the licensees is being prepared right now. After compilation of the files, the total number of licenced arms can be known. An allegation has been raised that police are filing cases with unnamed persons in connection with arms and explosives cases. After commission of such offence, police rush to the spot and file cases accusing unnamed people creating a scope for harassing innocent people. Earlier, police used to harass innocent people by arresting them under Section 54. Now-a-days, they do not need to apply that section of law. Rather, a practice has developed in police in filing cases accusing hundreds of unnamed people. In the interior areas, police are allegedly harassing innocent and well-off people in this way. They detain solvent people and threaten them to implicate in the explosives cases if bribe is not paid. A report shows the killing increased by 11.28 percent by using firearms and explosives in 2013-14 compared to the previous year. As many as 4,599 killing incidents were committed across the country at that time. The incident of arson attacks has increased by 7 percent compared to 730 arson offences that took place in the previous year. The arson incident is widespread in the last five years. In 2008-09, around 358 arson attacks took place while it was 781 in the previous year. The women persecution also increased. A total of 14,547 women repression incidents were recorded in 2012-13 as against 14,712 in the earlier year. Recording a rising of 6.25 percent, 646 robbery incidents were committed in the last year. Being next to arms and explosives-related crimes, hooliganism increased alarmingly. This crime increased by 19 percent. A total of 1,159 hooliganism incidents took place in 2013-14 though it was 975 in bygone time. The last year’s record of crimes shows that rape and acid attack offence decreased. Rape incident decreased by 0.9 percent while acid throwing by 12.34 percent. It is known that the rape victims are not encouraged to go to the police stations after their violation fearing social stigma. Being pressurised by the influential, police pressurise the victims to reach a compromise with the offenders at the local level. Security analyst and former election commissioner Brig. Gen(retd) Shakhawat Hossain said arms and explosives-related crimes have increased as the law enforcing agencies are being used in different tasks including election purposes going beyond their actual duties. These types of crimes have increased also because of involvement of law enforcing agencies in the crimes. Besides, Indian borders are now flexible to some extent resulting in arms influx into Bangladesh. The persons who are getting arms licence is a determining factor. Many disqualified persons are getting 7/8 licences while some important persons are not getting any. When asked, Inspector General of Police Hasan Mahmud Khondker said, “Arms and explosives-related crimes have not increased. The situation is now under control. Besides, charge-sheets were submitted in most of the arms and other related cases. The charge-sheet will be submitted soon in the cases of which investigation continues. The law enforcing agencies are working to stop the use of illegal arms.” Courtesy: Kaler Kantho
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