The guilty verdict returned against 14 defendants, including two former ministers of the BNP-led four-party alliance government and an intelligence chief, in the ULFA arms smuggling case, sends a strong and decisive message.
It makes clear that government officials and intelligence officers are not beyond the reach of justice, and should be seen as a success for the rule of law.
We congratulate our country’s legal and investigative machinery for openly investigating this case and bringing it before the courts.
Public servants and politicians, especially those of the ruling party, must not be permitted to compromise the country’s standing by supporting such activity. The 10-truck arms smuggling case was conducted with intentions that are clearly contrary to international laws and against the national interest.
Had the smuggling operation been able to proceed in delivering arms to ULFA secessionists, it would have worsened our relations with India, and put Bangladeshi lives in jeopardy. The fallout, both in terms of the havoc that would have been caused across the border and to our relations with India, would have been unimaginably grim.
No government should condone or encourage subversive acts like the ones in this case, as they can only undermine Bangladesh’s image and could have damaged our national security.
The verdict passed is a damning indictment of the parties involved, and exposes them as enemies of the state.
