Illegal firearms are being smuggled into the country in a bid to unleash violence on Dhaka ahead of the of city corporation elections, says the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Additional Commissioner Abdul Baten of the Detective Branch told the media on Sunday (Jan 26) that according to information gleaned from interrogating a suspect arrested with firearms, smugglers are bringing in firearms eyeing the city polls slated for Feb 1.
According to the Detective Branch, one Ashiqur Rahman, 30, was arrested from the capital's Lalbagh with two handguns and seven rounds of ammunition.
“During the interrogation, Ashikur said that he bought the firearms from Benapole border area to sell those ahead of city polls,” said Baten before adding it would have been used to create terror ahead of the polls.
The suspect was wanted in several cases and was held "as soon as he arrived in Dhaka", according to the senior police officer.