Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been given permission to purchase tear shells and sound grenades and they will be able to use them, said Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
The Home Affairs Advisor said this at a press conference held after the meeting of Law and Order Advisory Committee held on Monday.
The Law and Order Advisory Committee meeting was held at the conference room of the Home Ministry at the Secretariat.
Stating that the border situation is quite normal, the Home Affairs Advisor said, “Many people know why the BGB did not fire sound grenades or why it did not fire tear shells. The BGB does not have these yet. The BGB has all the lethal weapons. That is why we have given them permission to purchase these things (sound grenades and tear shells).”
In response to a question, the advisor said I have given permission to purchase, but if you buy them, will you not use them?
In response to another question, he said, "Lethal weapons can be used if necessary. It will be decided when and which one to use according to the situation. The border situation is now fairly stable. There is no major problem.”
In response to another related question, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, "India has sound grenades. India has no chance of taking it badly."
He said, "There is a conference at the level of the director generals of BGB and BSF next month. We have informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They will inform us that the issues in which there are inconsistencies in the agreements will have to be looked into."
Recently, there was a dispute between the residents of the border areas of the two countries over harvesting crops at the Kiranganj border in Chapainawabganj. At one point, tension spread when the BSF fired sound grenades and tear shells towards the Bangladesh border. The BGB could not use such weapons in response.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
