Special drive to recover looted firearms to be launched: RAB DG

KHULNA, Sept  2: The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will launch a special nationwide operation to recover firearms looted from police and other law-enforcement agencies during the 2024 movement, RAB Director General (DG) Md Ahsan Habib Palash, BPM-Seva, said on Wednesday.

“RAB has already been given special responsibility for recovering the looted firearms, and the operation has already begun,” he said.

The RAB chief was speaking at a press briefing held at the RAB-6 headquarters here on Wednesday morning.

The briefing was organised on the occasion of the surrender of 59 forest robbers in the Sundarban, recovery of firearms and the overall law-and-order situation in Khulna and elsewhere in the country.

The RAB DG said those providing information about the looted firearms would be rewarded and their identities would be kept confidential.

Replying to a question, he said there was a possibility that some of the surrendered Sundarban robbers might return to their previous criminal activities.

Of the 328 robbers who surrendered between 2016 and 2020, 30 had subsequently returned to criminal activities, he said, adding that eight of them were present at the latest surrender programme.

“Social and political reasons and fear of harassment, among others, drive some people back to criminal activities. Besides, some people have an inherent tendency towards crime,” he said.

However, the overall success of the RAB in bringing the robbers back to normal life has been significant, he said.

The government is now taking more effective measures than before to rehabilitate those who have surrendered or will surrender in the future, he said, adding that discussions have already been held with different ministries and agencies in this regard.

“Our efforts to rehabilitate those who return to normal life will continue,” the RAB DG said.

He said restoring peace in the Sundarban was their main objective.

“We are keeping track of terrorists and criminals. None of those who finance or shelter criminals will be spared,” he said.

Regarding the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Khulna, the RAB DG said the authorities were working to improve the situation.

“We have already received special instructions from the government regarding improving the law-and-order situation in Khulna. Work is underway,” he said.