TDS Desk:

A substantial stockpile of arms and ammunition has been stored unsafely for a prolonged period in the cargo warehouse of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, raising serious concerns about the potential for a major accident.

To mitigate this risk, Dhaka Customs is attempting to hand over these weapons and ammunition to the defense forces promptly.

Customs has also requested the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to approve the transfer. However, procedural complications have delayed the process.

Mubara Khanam, Commissioner of Dhaka Custom House, acknowledged the situation, saying, “There are some weapons in the warehouse. We have sought NBR’s no-objection to hand these over to the military. Discussions have also been held with Army Headquarters. Once the NBR gives clearance, the weapons will be transferred to the defense forces.”

When asked why no action had been taken earlier, she explained, “These weapons accumulated during the tenure of the previous commissioner. While clearing the warehouse, I discovered them and initiated efforts for their transfer.”

Efforts to contact former Customs Commissioner AKM Nurul Huda Azad for comments were unsuccessful.

According to a Customs letter, the warehouse currently holds 76 firearms, 97,835 rounds of ammunition, 15 kg of gun cartridges, six empty magazines, four air guns, and five swords.

The Customs Preventive Team and Air Freight Unit seized these items. Some were discovered in abandoned conditions during an inventory check at the airport’s disposal warehouse.

Most of these weapons are reported to be manufactured in Korea, Germany, and Italy. Customs sought assistance from DGFI and NSI to gather accurate details about the items. Due to prolonged storage, many of the weapons are now unusable—several have rusted, and some are damaged. Only a few remain functional.

Customs officials noted they cannot auction or destroy the weapons themselves, making their handover to the defense forces the only viable solution. However, the process is complex, involving sample examinations and approvals, which have caused delays.

An unnamed senior NBR official told the Bangla daily Kaler Kantho that the best course of action is to destroy the weapons with the military’s technical expertise. The prolonged storage of such dangerous items at the airport poses a significant safety risk.

Despite International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines requiring proper documentation and technical labeling of imported and exported goods, these standards are not being followed at hazrat Shahjalal Int’l Airport. This has increased risks associated with improper storage.

Efforts to reach Group Captain Muhammad Kamrul Islam, Executive Director of Shahjalal Airport, for comments were unsuccessful.

Joint Secretary Anup Kumar Talukdar of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism claimed to have no information on the matter.

An official from the ministry, speaking anonymously, said, “The Armed Forces Division will dispose of these items. Certain complexities have delayed the transfer.”