Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (Retired) Sakhawat Hossain today said a major investigation is necessary to identify the youths in civil dress who were seen carrying 7.62mm rifles, a firearm only police and Rab are supposed to use.
He was talking to reporters at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka after visiting Ansar members who suffered injuries during the mass protests that eventually forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.
“I find it very strange. From what I heard, it seems to me that they [Ansar members] suffered less in firings by police, rather than, firings by civilians with 7.62mm rifle in hand,” he said.
The doctors showed him the ammunition that injured the Ansar members and both shotgun pellets and bullets from that kind of rifle were among those, he added.
“Massive investigation is needed to find out who they are. In whose hands these prohibited rifles were?”
“This is very concerning. Police have been given firearms. But a youth in civil dress opened fire going to the Ansar’s area. This is very serious, does that mean we had armed civilians?” he asked.
Asked about armed Awami League men carrying firearms and opening fire at protesters, Sakhawat said, “I don’t know any league. Prohibited bore was not supposed to go outside. Police and Rab was authorised to use the rifles. How have these firearms gone to their [civilians’] hands?
“I saw a video. A civilian youth was carrying a 7.62mm rifle and walked away. That means the rifle was not returned,” he said.
“Can it be like that in a country? What will I say? I did not see such a dictatorial system,” he said.
“These rifles are missing,” he said urging all to handover over the unauthorised firearms to nearby police stations by August 19.
Replying to another query, he asked Awami League to reorganise the party and take part in the next election.
“People of the country have not forgotten everything so fast. Give them time, possibly they will forget,” he said.
“We don’t want violence anymore. Already 400 to 500 people, or more, from all sides including police and Ansar men, were killed,” he said.
“If you dream that you will come back with a counter revolution. It needs the blood of thousands of people to flow. If you can take that responsibility, take it,” Sakhawat added.
