Firearm News
Development Groups, Media Meet to Slow Gun Proliferation in Bangladesh
18 August 2008
Daily Star (Dhaka)
KHULNA — Speakers at a daylong media workshop in the city have urged effective steps to stop misuse of small arms.
National Forum for Peace and Security (NFPS) organised the workshop on 'Challenges for Human Security from Small Arms and Light Weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices' at the auditorium of NGO Asroy in the city on Saturday.
Matters relating to the nature of problem about small arms and light weapons (SALW) and improvised explosive devices in... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Bangladeshi Gun Owners Rent 1 in 5 Legal Guns to Criminals
9 June 2008
New Nation (Bangladesh)
DHAKA — Director of Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BPDC) on Sunday said more than 25,000 out of 1,30,000 licensed arms in the country, are being used in various illegal means.
"We carried out a survey across the county which showed that around 25,000 to 30,000 arms under legal arms licences are being rented to criminals," BPDC director Sharif K Kafi said at a press conference.
The press briefing jointly organised by BPDC, Bangladesh Network on Small... (GunPolicy.org)
Independent Gun Control Body Needed in Bangladesh, Say Local NGOs
8 June 2008
Daily Star (Dhaka)
Speakers at a rally here yesterday urged the government to form an independent national peace and security commission for checking use of illegal arms and counter terrorism in the country.
They also demanded formulating rules and regulations under the arms act to strictly implement it for controlling smuggling and trafficking of illegal arms.
The anti-arms trafficking rally was jointly organised by Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BPDC), Bangladesh Network... (GunPolicy.org)
Poor Border Management Turns Bangladesh Into Gun Trafficking Route
12 November 2007
Daily Star (Dhaka)
Geographical location, poor border management failing to tackle different criminal syndicates and separatist groups have turned Bangladesh as one of the main transit routes for arms trafficking in South Asia, said the experts at a workshop yesterday.
They said easy availability of firearms has given rise to different outlawed and criminal groups in the country while a few corrupt officials of law enforcement agencies have indulged in nurturing this evil culture.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns, Smuggling and Manufacture a Growing Threat to Bangladesh
10 November 2007
New Nation (Dhaka), Opinion
It is guessed that there are about 400,000 illegal small firearms in circulation in Bangladesh. In addition, there are about 25,000 legally held firearms in illegal use in the country. The illegal arms in many cases are coming to Bangladesh as a consequence of slack law enforcement at the border areas and the difficulties in maintaining vigilance over the country's long land and maritime borders. But the illegal arms are not only coming from outside the country.... (GunPolicy.org)
TV Station Owner Gets 10yrs Jail for Owning a Handgun in Bangladesh
3 July 2007
Reuters
DHAKA — A court in Bangladesh sentenced the politically connected owner of a television channel to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for possessing an unlicenced firearm and several rounds of ammunition, a court official said.
"Judge Abul Bashar sentenced Giasuddin Al Mamun, managing director of 'Channel 1' to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition," a court registrar said.
A special anti-corruption court had already sentenced... (GunPolicy.org)
Control Small Arms to Stop Threat by Militants, Say Bangladeshi NGOs
9 May 2007
Daily Star (Dhaka)
DHAKA — Speakers at a meeting yesterday urged the government to form an independent national commission to control small arms.
They also called for steps to control availability of small arms so that militants cannot pose threat to general people.
The view-exchanging meeting titled 'Importance of United Nations Programme on Small Arms (Control) in Eradicating Militancy and Terrorism' was organised by Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BDPC) at Dhaka... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture, Rights Violations Rampant in Bangladesh, Says Amnesty
26 March 2007
IANS / Muslim World News
NEW DELHI — Bangladesh has been overrun by "gun culture" with the state machinery and religious fundamentalists unleashing attacks on human rights defenders, including journalists and voluntary organisations, said Amnesty International here Monday.
Releasing its report on Bangladesh, titled 'Bangladesh Human rights defenders under attack', ahead of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Indian capital next week, the international... (GunPolicy.org)
600,000 Illegal Guns, 25,000 Licensed Firearms Said to Be in Bangladesh
20 March 2007
New Nation (Dhaka)
About six lakh illegal arms are being used in Bangladesh, while about 25,000 are licensed.
Joint forces demolished at least 21 local arms producing factories across the country from July 2005 to June 2006.
This was disclosed at a press conference organised by Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BDPC) and South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.
Speakers at the press conference urged all leaders of... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Gangsters Use Chinese Handguns Smuggled Through Bangladesh
1 September 2006
Daily News & Advertiser (Mumbai)
KOLKATA — After consumer goods, cheap Chinese small arms like pistols and revolvers smuggled across the Bangladesh border have begun to find many takers among gangsters.
So much so that the West Bengal police believe that these Chinese small arms smuggled into the state through the Bangladesh border at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district have replaced the traditional home made single or two-shooter pistols or 'pipe guns' that were the
favourite of local... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladesh Awash With Firearms, Now Major Transit Route for Gun Running
30 May 2006
Daily Star (Dhaka)
Militant and insurgent outfits in South Asian region are now using Bangladesh as a transit route for smuggling weapons, turning the region into a large market of arms trade but the government still remains indifferent, experts and former army personnel said at a press conference yesterday.
The country's south and south-east regions, especially Chittagong, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Sandwip, Haluaghat and emerging char islands are often used for transportation of illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Weapons Could Be a Threat to Holding Next Polls in Bangladesh
30 May 2006
Financial Express (Dhaka) / BDNews
Security experts Monday feared that illegal weapons possessed by criminals and their godfathers could be a threat to peaceful holding of the next general elections, reports BDNEWS.
Quoting a study report, they said there are 400,000 illegal and 25,000 legal arms in the country.
The apprehension was ventilated at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city Monday marking the 'Global Week of Action Against Small Arms' (May 22 to 29).
South Asia... (GunPolicy.org)
Workshop on the Implementation of the UN Plan of Action on Small Arms
19 January 2006
New Nation (Dhaka)
Recently, Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA) in collaboration with Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BDPC) organised a workshop on "The implementation of the UN Plan of Action on Small Arms: Perspective Bangladesh" at the BILIA auditorium at Dhanmondi.
Speaking as the chief guest, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said the government is now vetting an anti-terrorist law that might be placed in the next parliament session. Small arms were... (GunPolicy.org)
Flourishing Arms Market Along Bangladesh-Myanmar Border
19 December 2005
New Indian Express (Chennai) / IANS
GUWAHATI — India's eastern frontiers — bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh — have become a flourishing arms market with separatist groups from the northeast offering a ready market to scores of South Asian gunrunners, officials said.
The porous international borders, thick with forests, along the northeastern states of Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, have been used by the illegal weapons syndicate to smuggle small and medium arms and ammunition to at... (GunPolicy.org)
With 155,000 Guns, Licences 'Gone Illegal,' Bangladesh Issues More
9 October 2005
Independent (Dhaka)
A total of 1,55,850 arms issued by the government have gone illegal as the licenses of them have been cancelled for special reasons, while the issuance of licenses of arms has been halted for long. It is feared that terrorists are handling those arms as the government has failed to recover them. And the government is deeply worried about the matter, sources said.
Against this backdrop, the Home Ministry has initiated a move to issue fresh licenses of firearms. These... (GunPolicy.org)
3,632 Illegal Weapons Recovered in 2004-05
9 September 2005
Independent (Dhaka)
Law enforcers have recovered some 3,632 illegal weapons of 17 categories in 2004-05, State Minister for Home Lutfuzzaman Babar told the Parliament Thursday.
He was replying to a question from Jatiya Party (Ershad) lawmaker Moshiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur- 1).
Of the recovered arms, five were LMGs, 14 SMGs, 92 AK-47s, 62 sawed-off rifles, 25 SLRs, 127 SBBLs, 449 home made guns, 110 cut guns, 453 home made revolvers, 463 foreign revolvers, 186 home made pistols, 269... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled Arms Cache, Ammunition Dug Up Near Banderban
3 September 2005
Independent (Dhaka)
CHITTAGONG — The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Chittagong and Rajshahi zone and the BDR recovered 20 most sophisticated AK-47 rifles, 7,716 rounds of bullet of AK-47, 50 magazines of AK-47 including six drum magazines from the deep forest area at Jaraliar Chari Hill under Naikongchari upazila in Banderban last night.
Sources said, the commanding officer of RAB-5 (Rajshahi zone) and former BDR Commanding Officer of Naikongchari Lieutenant Colonel Hasinur Rahman Bir... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Weapons Are Our Way of Politics
24 July 2005
New Nation (Dhaka), Editorial
Quoting statistics of an organisation called "Bangladesh Network on Small Arms," the Ittefaq on Friday last reported that there were four lakh illegal arms in the country.
Existence of four lakh illegal arms is horrifying and its consequence shall have to be disastrous. But nobody, not even political leaders, expressed anxiety over this dangerous social situation.
There are armed crime syndicates in the country and they are increasing day by day. As per the news... (GunPolicy.org)
Six Accused in Country's Biggest Ever, Ten-Truck Arms Haul
6 July 2005
Independent (Dhaka)
CHITTAGONG — Six accused in the ever-biggest arms haul case of the country got bail today. After long one year and two months, the witness of the case gave testimony before the court today.
Sources said, the hearing of the case began at the Chittagong Sessions Judge's Court today. The witness of the case and the then Officer in Charge (OC) of Karnafully thana Ahadur Rahaman gave his testimony before the Sessions judge's court. He told the court that he informed about... (GunPolicy.org)
400,000 Illegal Firearms in Terrors' Hands
4 July 2005
Independent (Dhaka)
Huge illegal firearms including bombs, grandes, most sophisticated AK-47, M-16, AK-22 rifles and rocket launchers are available in the country. Terrorists and miscreants possess the illegal firearms for destructive purpose.
At a press conference held at a hotel in the port city this noon, the executives of the Bangladesh Network on Small Arms (BNSA) and Chittagong Social Development Forum (CSDF) disclosed it.
Kazi Iqbal Bahar Saberi, General Secretary of CSDF read out... (GunPolicy.org)