Illegal arms business under legal dealership

Staff Correspondent: Mohammad Ali Babul who has a license of legal arms dealership. But he was involved in trading illegal arms under the dealership, according to police.

Monirul Islam, Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit of police, came up with the disclosure at a press briefing at media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday.

He said, “Babul Mia, owner of Mrs Netrokona Arms and Co. was arrested with pistol, revolver and 125 rounds of bullets from Mohakhali bus terminal on June 11. There was allegation against him that he was involved in trading illegal arms. According to the allegation, investigation starts.”

“After his arrest, arms were recovered conducting a drive at his house of Charkhai area in Mymensingh on Thursday night,” he added.

“The arms recovered from his house include a rifle of .22 bore, four one pipe guns, two pistols of .22 bore, a pistol of 7.65 bore, two revolvers of .32 bore and 1,185 rounds of bullets,” Monirul said.

“Though Babul has license of legal arms dealership, But he could not show legal documents of the arms seized from him during his arrest,” he added.

He said, “Earlier a man named Jahidul Alam Kadir was arrested from Jatrabari on May 15 and his wife Masuma Akter from Gabtoli on June 3 with fire arms and bullets. Later, a huge number of arms and ammunitions were recovered conducting drive at his house of Mymensingh. Jahidul is a physician who achieved MBBS degree from Mymensingh Medical College and Diploma from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). But he was not stuck with his profession. He was a contact killer.”

“Police came to know in the interrogation that Jahidul and his wife Masuma used to buy arms from Babul, owner of Netrokona Arms and Co. Besides, evidences of Babul’s illegal arms and ammunitions business with some people of Rajshahi, Chattogram and Khulna were found in investigation. Pirates of Sundarbans also used to buy arms from him.  The arms recovered were supposed to supply to the pirates,” Monirul said.
 

risingbd/Dhaka/June 15, 2018/Maksud/A K Azad