Man carries gun openly in Minister Dastagir Gazi’s procession during nomination submission

Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi has led a procession of hundreds of his supporters to submit his nomination paper ahead of the Jan 7 parliamentary polls.

One of them was carrying a firearm.

Dastagir, a businessman and president of Rupganj Upazila Awami League, has won the ruling party’s ticket to fight for reelection to the Narayanganj-1 seat.

Witnesses said Golam Rasul Koli, general secretary of the party’s Kanchon Municipality unit, led a part of the procession brought out from the Murapara area on Wednesday afternoon.

One of the people at the front of that part of the procession had a shotgun hanging from his shoulder.

Koli identified the person with the gun as his personal bodyguard Md Zaman.

He claimed Zaman has a licence for the firearm.

“He shouldn’t have carried it openly. Actually he didn’t realise the matter. He got away when he understood it. He won’t repeat such a mistake again. He’ll be careful in future,” said Koli.

According to the gun law in Bangladesh, a person can carry a licensed firearm for self-defence, but they are prohibited from showing it in such a way that can frighten or irritate others.

Faysal Haque, the chief executive of Rupganj Upazila administration who is working as an assistant returning officer in the general election, said people with a gun licence cannot carry their firearm openly at any time, let alone during polls.

“This is beyond the rules. We’ve heard about it, but on one filed a specific complaint. Police usually take step in such cases,” he said.

He also said the authorities encourage candidates to keep a few people with them while submitting nomination papers, but supporters enter the office.

“I’m not aware of any large procession outside,” he added.

Golam Mostafa Rasel, superintendent of police in the district, said they seized the firearm immediately after the incident.

“We will write to the district magistrate for the cancellation of the licence,” he said.

Dastagir did not take phone calls for comments on the matter.