Govt lifts ban on arms licences

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The government has decided to lift the restriction imposed earlier on issuing arms licences facilitating all government class-I officials to apply for licences complying with rules.
The decision was taken at the seventh meeting of the Adviser's Council on Law and Order held in the city Sunday, reports BSS.
Information and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Mainul Hosein chaired the meeting. Communications Adviser Abdul Matin and Education Adviser Aiyub Qadri attended the meeting.
Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumder, Home Secretary Md Abdul Karim, Energy Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin, Health Secretary Zafarullah Khan and officials concerned were also present at the meeting.
The meeting decided to discuss in the next meeting the issuance of arms licences to individuals who pay at least Tk 0.20 million income tax annually and asked the officials concerned to submit a proposal in this connection.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the law adviser said steps would be taken in connection with the arms that were deposited with the police stations as per arms law.
Referring to the improvement of law and order situation in the country, he said due to this the government has lifted ban on issuance of arms licences.
Mentioning increase in number of cases filed with different police stations, he said people can file cases in the police stations now but this does not mean that law and order situation has deteriorated.
The meeting urged law enforcers to be cautious in handling the cases filed with the police stations to ensure that no one can misuse the laws under emergency and asked them to first make proper inquiry into the matter.
Replying to a question on lifting ban on indoor politics he said the matter would be decided after being discussed collectively at the higher level. "We are observing the situation and decision will be taken at the right moment," he said.
While briefing journalists, Home Secretary Mohammad Ali Karim said the meeting discussed various issues relating to holding of election of non-political organisations. The Association of Travel Agencies of Bangladesh (ATAB) will be able to hold its election and the Commerce Ministry will decide holding polls of BAIRA, he said.
The meeting also decided to allow shop owners keep their security lights on after 7pm as it was essential for their security purposes, he added.