United News of Bangladesh

The government on Tuesday approved a proposal to procure 17,050 shotguns for Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) in order to replace their old and outdated firearms. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase held at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, who chaired the meeting, told reporters that the existing firearms used by Ansar and VDP have become very old, making replacement essential to ensure operational effectiveness. “We will procure around 17,000 12-bore shotguns for Ansar and VDP as the existing ones have become very old. The price we are getting is cost-effective and we found the purchase to be economically viable, so it has been approved,” he said. He noted that the procurement proposal was evaluated on the basis of competitive pricing. Responding to a query on whether the purchase has any connection to the upcoming national election, Dr Salehuddin said the procurement is  not election-related. “This has nothing to do with the election. It is not an election issue. Ansar has long been in need of updated shotguns and this procurement was overdue,” he stated. The proposal will now move through detailed scrutiny and procedures under the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP). According to official sources, the estimated cost of each shotgun has been set at USD 146. The total expenditure for the procurement is estimated at Tk 35.62 crore. At a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs held on November 9, the proposal to procure 17,050 units of 12-bore shotguns for the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party through the direct purchase method received policy approval. After inviting proposals under the direct purchase method, four companies submitted bids for supplying the shotguns. Upon completion of all evaluation procedures and price negotiations, Turkey-based Bay Galatal was recommended as the lowest responsive bidder. Subsequently, a decision was taken to procure 17,050 units of 12-bore shotguns from the company.  Read more: IMF satisfied with Bangladesh’s reform progress but flags key challenges: Salehuddin

The Canadian government announced Thursday a ban on an additional 324 firearm models, continuing its efforts to restrict weapons deemed inappropriate for civilian use. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc characterized the targeted firearms as belonging “on the battlefield,” not in the hands of hunters or sport shooters. This latest move builds on the 2020 prohibition of 1,500 firearm models, a list that has since expanded to over 2,000 as new variants have been identified. The new ban addresses concerns from gun-control advocates that previous measures left many assault-style firearms unregulated. “These firearms can no longer be used,” LeBlanc stated. Guns for UkraineIn an unprecedented step, Canada is collaborating with Ukraine to donate some of the banned firearms to support its defense against Russia’s invasion. Defense Minister Bill Blair confirmed discussions with Ukrainian authorities, who expressed interest in the weapons. “Every bit of assistance we can offer to the Ukrainians is one step toward their victory,” Blair said. Planned Buyback ProgramThe federal government also reiterated its commitment to a national buyback program for prohibited firearms. The initiative, developed with provincial, territorial, and law enforcement agencies, aims to remove these weapons from private ownership. Read: Canada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump's tariff threat A Response to Past TragediesThe announcement comes on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women before taking his own life. The Ruger Mini-14 used in that attack was among the firearms banned in 2020. Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the attack, voiced her support for the new measures. “These are just killing weapons, war weapons, military weapons,” she said. “I’m proud we are doing something.” Opposition CriticismConservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the measures, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of targeting “licensed and law-abiding hunters and sport shooters” in a political stunt. Read more: Canada to reduce immigration targets as Trudeau acknowledges his policy failed Despite fewer mass shootings compared to the United States, Canada faces challenges with illegal firearms smuggled across the border, which are often linked to criminal activities. Source: With inputs from agencies

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested three members of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for their alleged involvement in the fire incidents in Rohingya refugee camps. The arrestees are Usman Prakash Magbagi Usman, 30, Md. Nechhar, 33, and Imam Hossain, 22.  They all live in Cox's Bazar's refugee camp at Ukhiya. We’re dealing with Myanmar government on Rohingya repatriation: FM They were arrested on Wednesday at midnight during a raid in the hilly areas adjacent to the Rohingya camp at Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar, according to a press release.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested a youth with one revolver, four rounds of bullets and one magazine along Sonamasjid border of Chapainawabganj on Thursday night. The arrestee is Abdullah Pranto, 21, a resident of Bonainagar village in Faridpur upazila of Pabna district. Also read : Govt using judiciary as weapon to establish fascism: Fakhrul Lt. Col Golam Kibria, commander of the BGB-59, at a press briefing on Friday morning said a team of the frontier force conducted a drive in Koylabari Truck Stand area under Shibganj upazila around 9 pm after tipped-off that a haul of arms would be smuggled by a battery-run three wheeler through a mango orchard. Also read : Man arrested from Dhaka over rape of 4-year-old in Chapainawabganj As the vehicle approached, the law enforcers challenged it and found one revolver, four rounds of bullet and one magazine from the vehicle, he said. Later, they arrested Abdullah in this connection. Also read : Madrasa teacher sentenced to life imprisonment for raping student in Chapainawabganj The arrestee was handed over to Shibganj police station and a case was filed in this regard, added the commander.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) say they have arrested three members of the militant group, Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, including its Ameer, Md Anisur Rahman, from Munshiganj's Louhajang upazila early today (July 24, 2023). The identities of the other operatives were not disclosed by the law enforcers. Read: 2 arrested for detonating homemade explosive on Dhanmondi 32 Acting on a tip-off, a RAB team conducted a drive in Boronopara village in Louhajang upazila around 3 am and arrested the three men, ANM Imran Khan, assistant director of RAB's Legal and Media wing, said. During the drive, the RAB team also recovered firearms and explosives from the alleged Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya operatives, he added. Read: Land dealer Ekhlas killing: DB arrests 5 suspects including industrialist mastermind Details are set to be disclosed at a media briefing at RAB's media centre in Dhaka at 11:30 am.

A Dhaka court today sentenced eight people, including GK Shamim – a disgraced contractor who gained infamy during the “casino raids” of late 2019, to life term imprisonment in an arms case. The other seven are all GK Shamim’s bodyguards: Md Zahidul Islam, Md Shahidul Islam, Md Kamal Hossain, Md Shamsad Hossain, Md Aminul Islam, Md Delwar Hossain, and Md Murad Hossain. Third Additional Metropolitan Session Court Judge Sheikh Samidul Islam passed the judgment. Read: ACC approves chargesheet against GK Shamim They were brought to the court from jail in the morning. GK Shamim, who was known as an influential contractor of Sabujbagh, Basabo and Motijheel areas of the capital, was arrested on September 20, 2019. Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) seized illegal firearms and fixed deposit receipts worth Tk 165 crore, Tk 1.8 crore in cash and foreign currencies from his house and office at Niketan. Read: GK Shamim indicted for money laundering The elite force filed three cases – one under narcotics control, one under money-laundering prevention and the other under arms act – against Shamim with Gulshan Police Station on September 21. In October 2019, Rab filed a charge sheet against the accused in the arms case. The official trial proceeding in the case began on February 28, after the court framed charges against the eight accused rejecting an appeal for acquittal. Read GK Shamim: Court sets Sept 25 for verdict in arms case

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained a man along with two illegal firearms and ammunition from Satkhira border early Saturday. The arrestee was identified as Md Badruzzaman, 34, son of Dabir Uddin of village Uttar Vadiali under Kalaroa police station in Satkhira district. Sources at the BGB headquarters here on Saturday said based on secret information, a special patrol team of BGB) conducted anti-smuggling drives at Uttarar Vadiali, 500 yards inside Bangladesh territory from Satkhira border at around 00:45 am. Also read: Man held with drugs in Teknaf During the drive, the patrol team recovered one foreign pistol , two rounds of bullet and one locally made pistol and detained Md Badruzzaman, said Public Relations Officer of the BGB headquarters Md Shariful Islam. The seized arms and ammunition were handed over to the Kalaroa police station for legal action against the accused. Also read: Ctg woman buys Yaba pills to frame hubby, held

Customs officials recovered two eight mm pistols and 60 rounds of bullets hidden in a a consignment of household goods at Chattogram port on Sunday.  Following a tip off officials conducted a search operation and recovered the firearms arms, ammunitions inside a carton with household goods brought from Italy, said Mohammad Salahuddin Rezvi, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Customs. Also read: Customs official complain of threat on life by smugglers  He said two more plastic made guns were recovered and they are suspecting those to be just toys.  According to documents the consignment was sent from Rome by a Bangladeshi expat named Rajib Barua to the address of Kamrul Hasan, a resident of CGS Colony in the port city.  The customs official said law enforcing force has been informed of the recovery to take action in this regard. Also read: 2 drug dealers held with firearms, drug in city

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have detained a drug dealer and his associate along with yaba pills, crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice) and firearms from Hazaribagh of the city. The detainees were identified as one of the ring leaders of drug dealing Md Abdullah Monir alias Pichchi Monir, 33, and his associate Md Jubaer Hossain, 30. Read:SC imposes ban on transporting Phensedyl for being a drug According to a media release from Rab Headquarter, a team of Rab-2, tipped off, arrested the duo after conducting a drive at a flat in Modhubazar of Hazaribagh area on Thursday night. During the drive, two foreign pistols, magazines, 12 rounds of ammunition, 18,770 yaba pills, six grams of crystal meth and cash Tk 4.60 lakh were seized from their  In December 2020, Department of Narcotics Control arrested Monir and his wife along with firearms and yaba pills from the city's Mohammadpur area, according to the release.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained three suspected terrorists with a large quantity of arms busting a terrorist hideout in the remote hilly area of Jungle Salimpur at Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram. The detainees were identified as Andha Jamal, 42, of Khulna, Siraj, 35, of Lalmonirhat and Chashma Mizan of Banshkhali. Read: 2 killed in JSS-UPDF gunfight in Rangamati Nurul Absar, assistant director (Media) of Rab-7, said acting on a tip off, a team of Rab-7 made the arrests conducting a drive at Salimpur jungle on Saturday night. Later, while conducting another drive to recover firearms from the hideout with the detainees, the gang of top terrorist Mashiur Rahman Prakash, a former AL leader now under custody, led by son Shiblu, hurled brick-bats and opened fire on them, forcing the Rab members to fire back. At that time, Mashiur's son Mohirul Hasan alias Shibli and several other terrorists managed to escape the spot. During the drive, Rab seized 10 firearms, a foreign pistol, a sharp knife, 22 rounds of ammunition, military gazettes, military uniforms, military binoculars and illegal coins from the terrorist hideout. Read: ‘Pirate’ killed in gunfight with Rab in Barguna Three cases were filed at Sitakunda police station in this regard, said the official. Earlier on December 27 last year, Rab arrested Mashiur Rahman, an accused in 26 cases, one of the top terrorists in Chittagong and a former Awami League leader, along with a number of firearms.