Bangladesh: Interim government asks people to surrender illegal firearms

Bangladesh’s interim government on Monday (August 12) urged people to surrender by August 19 all illegal firearms, including weapons looted from security services during the recent violence.

Home affairs adviser M Sakhawat Hussain said the authorities would launch a search and act against the guilty if such arms were not returned to nearby police stations, The Daily Star reported.

Hussain was talking to reporters at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka after visiting paramilitary personnel who were injured during the mass protests that led to the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

500 dead in protests

Hasina resigned and fled to India this month following deadly protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Hussain said that around 500 people, including students, were killed and several thousand others were injured during the protests.

Youth looted 7.62 mm rifle

"A youth was seen in a video taking away a 7.62 mm rifle… The rifle was not returned. If you did not hand over (out of fear), hand over the firearms through someone else," he said.

The authorities would identify the youth in civilian clothes who fired at paramilitary forces, the daily quoted Hussain as saying.

No action against media

However, he toned down an earlier statement about shutting down media outlets if they publish or broadcast false or misleading news.

"I said it out of anger. It is not my job," he said. "I never support shutting down any media."

On July 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of an interim government replacing Hasina. A 16-member council of advisers was announced to assist him in governing the country.