A pistol magazine found in the luggage of Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan at Dhaka’s airport on June 29 has triggered fresh concerns over the effectiveness of security screening at one of the country’s busiest transport hubs.
The incident took place early in the morning as Mahmud was getting ready to depart for Morocco. Although he passed through two rounds of security screening, the magazine went undetected until later—prompting concerns about current security protocols.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Monday after a meeting of the law and order coordination committee, Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury defended the advisor’s actions.
“It was a licensed magazine from his personal pistol. He forgot it was in the bag. It was empty,” Chowdhury said. “This was simply a mistake. Not an AK-47 or anything alarming.”
Still, the lapse has brought renewed attention to airport safety measures. Jahangir Alam confirmed that instructions have already been issued to tighten screening processes and avoid similar oversights.
“It’s being taken seriously. Directions have gone out to improve checks immediately,” he added.
The advisor also addressed security concerns surrounding events planned for the anniversary of the July uprising. He said law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to ensure that all programs scheduled from July 1 to August 5 proceed without disruption.
“Various political parties and social groups will be holding events. We’ve discussed how to support these safely,” he noted.
Regarding the recent trouble in Cumilla and Patuakhali, Chowdhury said police were quick to intervene and that legal proceedings against the perpetrators have begun.
Finding the magazine didn’t escalate into a larger conflict, but it certainly revealed holes in security. Now, it appears officials are working to plug those gaps.
Whether those changes will restore public confidence in screening procedures remains to be seen.
