Police working with necessary arms, not just light weapons: home adviser

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said police are working with the necessary arms, not just light weapons, to carry out their duties effectively.

"Police are using the number of arms that are necessary. It's not that they are only carrying light weapons," he told reporters after visiting the two injured officers at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

He made the remarks amid growing discussion that the government's recent decision to withdraw lethal firearms from the regular police force is putting officers at greater risk.

The issue came to the forefront after two members of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police were shot during a raid on suspected drug traffickers in Dhaka's Fakirapool area early today.

According to police, a team from DB's Lalbagh Division, acting on a tip-off, attempted to intercept a private car near the Central Police Hospital around 1:00am. As they tried to stop the vehicle, the suspects opened fire, injuring Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Atik Hasan and Constable Sujan.

DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Mohammad Talebur Rahman said the officers were first taken to the Central Police Hospital and later shifted to DMCH for better treatment.

According to hospital sources, ASI Atik was shot in the left side of his abdomen, while Constable Sujan was hit in the left knee.

Three suspects were arrested in the car, and around 9,000 yaba pills were recovered. One of the suspects managed to flee the scene.

At DMCH, the home adviser said, "We had information that a car was coming from Chattogram with yaba. When the vehicle was intercepted near Fakirapool, it tried to flee. After being chased, the suspects opened fire on police."

"One of them escaped, but three others were caught along with the vehicle and the drugs," he said.

When asked whether police were being exposed to greater risks due to the new weapon policy, Jahangir Alam said, "There's no question of working with insufficient arms. Police are using what is required. The criminals didn't use heavy arms — they used pistols."

The home adviser also confirmed that both injured officers are now out of danger.

"Constable Sujan had a bullet wound in his left leg, which was removed last night. He will be shifted to the police hospital. ASI Atik was hit in the abdomen, but by Allah's grace, it didn't damage any vital organs. Surgery will be done in 48 hours," he said.

Praising the courage of law enforcers, he said, "The police acted with great bravery. They risked their lives and succeeded in arresting three suspects and recovering the drugs and the vehicle."

"Criminals are not getting the kind of space they used to. Of the four involved, three are already in custody," Jahangir added.