Arms recovery

Once again the law enforcers have recovered heavy weapons in Bandarban, following a firefight with terrorists. It is evident that the conduits of arms supply are very much open. And the types of the weapons recovered, which include anti-tank mines and rocket launchers, clearly indicate that they might have been dispatched for some terrorist group involved in insurgency or subversive activities on a large scale.

Now, the recovery of those weapons has ensured, at least for this time, that they did not end up in the hands of terrorists. That was highly desirable, but the concern regarding the arms trade and supply still remains .We have been watching that heavy loads of sophisticated weapons are entering the country from time to time, though the law enforcers could not discover their ultimate destinations. And that is precisely where the failure lies. The mysteries behind the arms hauls are yet to be resolved. The challenge before the law enforcers is to get at the root of the problem. The arms supply lines have to be closed and the men behind the illegal trade must be brought to justice. There is no way to feel smug with the recovery of arms, because the possibility of some consignments being not detected by the law enforcers cannot be ruled out.

The supply of arms can further destabilise the society already reeling under chronic lawlessness. Law and order will deteriorate if terrorists and criminals have access to deadly weapons. And the failure to cut off the supply lines is a reflection on the performance of the law enforcers.

The discovery of combat-grade heavy weapons is a reminder of the alarming truth that terrorists and arms traders have, for some reason or the other, chosen Bangladesh as a transit route. Their plan has to be thwarted in order to prevent subversive activities. Any failure in this respect will be costly for us.