All looted, illegal firearms must be surrendered in a week: Sakhawat

Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (retired) Sakhawat Hussain today asked all to handover illegal and unauthorised firearms, including the rifles looted from law enforcers during the recent violence, to police by August 19.
“If those arms are not returned to nearby police stations, we will go for a weapon hunt. If we get weapons from anyone then, two charges will be lodged [against the holders] for carrying illegal and government firearms,” he said.
He was talking to reporters at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka after visiting Ansar members who suffered injuries during the mass protest that eventually forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.
Around 500 people, including students, were killed and several thousand others were injured during the protest.
Sakhawat said, “A youth was seen in the video taking away a 7.62 mm rifle. That means, the rifle was not returned.
“If you did not hand over [out of fear], hand over the firearms through anyone else,” he said.
Sakhawat said they will investigate to identify the youths in civil clothes who opened fire at Ansar members.
Sakhawat also apologised for his comment yesterday about shutting down media outlets engaging in sycophancy.
“I said it out of anger. It is not my job,” he said. “I never support shutting down any media.”