Driver Md. Sohel (27) has been arrested in connection with the recovery of a foreign pistol, magazine and three rounds of bullets from a mini pickup in Fatekharkul, Ramu Upazila, Cox’s Bazar.
However, immediately after the incident, various types of propaganda were spread on social media involving Abu Mohammad Ismail Noman, the chairman of Kachchhpia Union Parishad. However, his name is not in the case and complaint filed by the police.
This raises the question, what is the purpose of such a campaign surrounding a public representative before the investigation is complete?
According to the case report of Ramu Police Station, on July 30, around 11:30 am, police conducted a raid in the Hazarikul (Sipahir Para) area of ​​Fatekharkul Union based on a secret tip-off.
When a mini pickup tried to flee by ignoring a stop sign, police chased it and detained it. Later, a search of the car revealed a foreign pistol, a magazine, and three rounds of 7.65 mm caliber bullets hidden under the driver’s seat.
In this incident, the driver of the mini pickup, Md. Sohel, has been arrested and a case has been registered under Sections 19(A)/19(F) of the Arms Act, 1878. Along with Sohel, another unidentified person has been named as an accused in the case.
Ramu Police Station is investigating the case. Police said they are investigating the source of the recovered weapons, who they were supposed to reach, and whether anyone else was involved. Ramu Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Monirul Islam Bhuiyan said the investigation is ongoing and efforts are being made to identify everyone involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, since the weapons recovery incident, various posts mentioning the name of Chairman Abu Mohammad Ismail Noman have been circulating on various social media platforms including Facebook.
In these posts, various comments have been made linking him to the weapons recovery incident. However, a review of the case report filed by the police revealed that Chairman Abu Mohammad Ismail Noman’s name was not there.
The police have not yet officially released any information about his involvement. Chairman Abu Mohammad Ismail Noman has called these campaigns ‘false, fabricated and purposeful’. He alleges that a group is systematically trying to tarnish his political and social image.
Many local activists have raised questions about spreading a person’s name on social media while a police investigation into a serious incident such as the recovery of weapons is ongoing. According to them, if there is a complaint against a person, it should be verified through an investigation by law enforcement agencies.
If a person whose name is not in the case report is implicated in a crime based solely on social media posts, his social and political image may be damaged. According to local civil society representatives, it is important to investigate the weapons recovery incident seriously, and it is also necessary to stop spreading misinformation involving any public representative or ordinary citizen before the investigation is complete.
An investigation should reveal who actually owns the weapon, where it came from, and who is involved. They also said that there is no chance of assuming that an allegation is true just because it spreads on social media. It is important to speak based on evidence-based information and to take the views of the person concerned.
The police case so far mentions the arrested person Md. Sohel and an unidentified person. The investigation should clarify the source of the recovered weapons, their destination, and whether anyone else was involved.