The fact that such illegal cargo was being unloaded in a jetty, in a highly protected area, has raised several questions. 'The entry into and exit from this factory area is strictly controlled' by representatives of several law enforcement authorities (The Independent, 8 April). The jetty in particular, according to an analyst, 'is exclusively dedicated for loading fertilizer into barges and trawlers.'

Consequently, questions are being raised as to how this could have happened. It has also since been found that 'FV Amanat,' the fishing trawler seized for carrying the illegal weapons had just been released following a writ petition in the High Court. Apparently, it had been seized earlier by the Customs for being involved in smuggling operations (The Daily Star, 8 April).

I have refrained from making any comments on this matter, as any superficial speculation might have been construed as interference in an issue which is subjudice. The restraint has been exercised in view of the ongoing investigation and inquiry.

I believe that the situation is serious in nature and scope and that it should not deteriorate into a blame game. The whole scenario involves national security and that has to be respected. Criticism and politicisation will not assist the process of judicial investigation. The last thing that one wants is confusion and misunderstanding.

The government has constituted a high-powered committee and also associated the Criminal Investigation Department in its efforts to ascertain the background details of this smuggling of sophisticated weapons. The Home Ministry has also remarked that they are trying to determine who are involved.

It is only natural that the composition of the committee should have included the officials who are entrusted with the serious responsibility of national security. These are professionals who are expected to carefully and dispassionately examine all facts of this case. One hopes however that earlier remarks by political personalities will not influence their process of investigation.

The seizure has been described as the 'largest single' illegal arms consignment to have been intercepted by law enforcement officials in Bangladesh. A subsequent inventory published in the papers indicated that the arms and ammunition seized included sub-machine guns, automatic carbines, Tommy automatic rifles, rocket launchers, Ugo rifles, hand grenades, magazines of SMGT, pistol and rifle bullets.

There have been many reports, since the early 80's, of arms smuggling through the Chittagong coastline. Over the years, newspapers and seminars have repeatedly drawn attention to the ease with which arms smuggling has been taking place through the porous coast-line in a sensitive region.

In the late seventies, someone called 'Mensharu Mian' was regularly identified as the person who was most concerned with smuggling high value commodities. Such nefarious activity appears to have evolved over the years into the lucrative profession of gunrunning.

This is not the first time that such arms seizures have hit our headlines. A string of large arms hauls in the last few months indicate that insurgent groups in South Asia are targeting Bangladesh as a transit point for gunrunning not only because of its strategic location but also because Chittagong Hill Tracts has a 172 km porous border with India and Myanmar.

The Bangladesh Armed Forces, the BDR and some police detachments have shown enterprise in their 10 recent hauls of firearms in the three hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. Another illegal arms haul took place in a remote village in Bogra on June 27 last year. On November 30, police recovered several sophisticated weapons after a gunfight with criminals in Dhaka. Between September and October, the BDR has also recovered bombs and explosive materials from Bandarban. Unfortunately, people believe that such seizures scratch only the surface.

The catalytic factors that appear to be encouraging such gunrunning are probably associated with the underground separatist movements of the United Liberation Front of Assam, the All Tripura Tigers Force in Tripura and the Arakan rebel groups of Myanmar.

The disturbing nature of the whole situation was highlighted in a recent newspaper report published in the Indian newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph'. Director-General of Indian police CM Srivastava was quoted in this paper as saying that insurgent leaders of India's northeastern states held a meeting in Bangkok on 16 March this year and decided to send two major consignments of arms and ammunition to militants in Northeastern India through Cox's Bazar. He also claimed that top leaders of five major outfits including the Tripura Tiger Force and ULFA were represented in this meeting. There have also been other Indian speculations that the truckloads of arms were being imported clandestinely by ULFA to replenish the stock that they had lost due to the joint military operations in Bhutan carried out by the Indian and Bhutanese armies.

Such statements unfortunately do not help anybody. It would probably have been preferable if the Indian intelligence authorities had shared their information with the relevant Bangladeshi agencies. One presumes that sub-regional security is sought by all countries in this region. This massive seizure in Chittagong has underlined once again the need of intelligence cooperation in this part of the world. This time God was kind. He expects however that we tie our camels and then keep our faith in Him.

One does not know the whole truth. I do not know if we will ever know the truth. One can only hope that the high-powered inquiry committee will be able to backtrack the path by which the shipment reached Chittagong. It will be difficult to trace the source of all the different weapons and the various kinds of ammunition. Obviously, international gunrunners were involved in this clandestine operation. There were probably many sources. The process of shipment and delivery, in all likelihood, must have been undertaken through different infrastructural units. Nevertheless, the government, in keeping with suggestions that they seek international assistance, should get in touch with Interpol and also with the intelligence agencies of those countries whose weapons have been seized. There is an existing UN control regime in respect of small arms and light weapons. Each producing country of such weapons must be keeping a proper inventory of their production. I will probably be naive, but I believe that with hard work and cooperation we might be able to identify the groups who might have been involved. If necessary, we should also seek the assistance of the USA and the UK.

It appears unlikely that such sophisticated weapons were being brought into Bangladesh for possible use within the country. Some of the items might have joined the stream of illegal weapons that already exists here. However, rocket propelled grenades and other similar offensive weapons were probably destined for insurgents who are using Bangladesh as a conduit.

Whatever be the destination, the smuggling of such weapons raise the fundamental point that there are people in this sub-region who are sufficiently trained to use these weapons. It also suggests that 'whoever it was meant for is well organised and trained to indulge in open hostility ... conventional combat or classical military operations' (Brig. Gen. (Retd) S. Anam Khan).

The last question is not only difficult but also very sensitive. It relates to the identity of those inside Bangladesh who are assisting these arms smuggling operations.

The inquiry and post-investigation efforts might not be fully transparent. It will probably be restrictive in nature. That is quite understandable. One hopes however that the probe will be through, conclusive and non-politicised. The local accomplices have to be exposed and prosecuted and the public kept informed of actions taken. We have no other alternative. The inquiry has to be seen as a success.

All sides have to recognise that we are living in an extremely volatile situation where there has been not only an erosion in law and order but also where guns are being used indiscriminately in all parts of the country. We also have to understand that we are grappling with a smouldering problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and that there is also active armed insurgency in the neighbouring region.

Both our internal and external security demands that we treat this as a serious threat and in a bipartisan manner. This is a matter of the greatest concern for all of us. The failure to take prompt and effective action to check trafficking in arms will affect our national well-being.

Muhammad Zamir is a former Secretary and Ambassador.