Voicing deep concern over the reported involvement of a student leader in arms smuggling, Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader on Monday urged the government to launch a special drive to recover illegal arms.

“A list of arms smugglers and illegal arms dealers should be prepared immediately to ensure the safety of people,” he said.

In a statement, GM Quader said, “A special force should be engaged in conducting a drive to recover illegal firearms and bringing those involved with arms smuggling under the ambit of law.”

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He warned that Bangladesh will turn into a “savage state” if the government fails to stop the smuggling of illegal firearms.

The Jatiya Party chief also said the future of the nation will become disastrous and the law-and-order situation will deteriorate alarmingly if the arms smuggling continues.

“So, the government must take effective steps to prevent the shipment of illegal weapons alongside recovering the illegal arms,” he observed.

Referring to media reports, GM Quader said a student leader of Jashore has been arrested recently on charges of arms smuggling from India and supplying them to different districts.

“According to his confessional statement to the intelligence agency, he alone has sold more than two hundred firearms across the country in the last few years.

He also described how he brought weapons to Bangladesh through the border of a neighbouring country adopting a new strategy,” the Jatiya Party chairman said.

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He said the arrested student leader also informed the intelligence agency about how the arms-smuggling syndicate has been supplying illegal arms to Bangladesh. “Nothing can be more terrible news than this.”

The Jatiya Party chairman said a photo of a model with sophisticated Uzi pistols made in Israel went viral earlier. “This type of weapon is not even there in the hands of law enforcers. So, panic has spread among guardians in the country.”

On Thursday, police arrested five people, including a member of Bangladesh Chhatra League, from the capital's Darussalam area over smuggling and illegally firearms selling.