Is it okay to use firearm for mere joy?

In a recent video, two men were seen firing two blank shots in succession from the same shotgun. They used the firearm to inaugurate a month-long football tournament on a school playground of Dhamrai, on the outskirts of the capital, but locals said it created panic in the area, while children present there got scared due to the loud noise.

The incident happened on August 18, Friday.

Titled “Kalampur Premier League”, the tournament was organised by Kalampur Bazar Byabsayee Bonik Samity. The inaugural ceremony was held on the playground of Valum Ataur Rahman Khan School and College.

Surrounded by a small crowd including guests, players, and a few children, local deed writer Golam Moula Firoz first fired the gun. It was celebrated by clapping. Then the president of Kalampur Bazar Byabsayee Bonik Samity, Robiul Karim, took it and fired a second blank shot. As he prepared to fire, most of the people in the crowd were seen covering their ears with hands. The second shot was also followed by another round of clapping.

The Daily Star got a video footage of the tournament inauguration session.

When asked, the two men claimed that it was a licensed firearm and they used the blank shots "just for joy". But according to rules, a privately-owned licensed firearm can only be used for self-defence.

President of Kalampur Bazar Bonik Shomity Robul Karim, who is also known as a local activist of the Awami League, said the shotgun was owned by deed writer Golam Moula Firoz, and it was licensed.

When asked why he used another man's firearm, Robiul Karim said people who were present during the inaugural session "requested us to use the firearm for mere joy.”

"...later I understood that it was illegal and I should not have used the arm during the tournament inauguration," he told The Daily Star.

The owner of the gun, Golam Moula Firoz, said, "It's my licensed gun. It was only used for joy, not to create panic."

He, however, did not disclose where he got the license from.

When asked, why another person used his gun, Firoz declined to comment.

The Daily Star contacted Rezaul Haque, officer-in-charge of Dhamri Police Station, twice in this regard.

On the first day, the OC said they did not know about the incident, but would investigate it.

"If a man uses his licensed firearm for creating panic among people, police will directly take action against him," he said, adding that if it was used for joy, police would inform the deputy commissioner's (DC) office of the incident in writing.

When contacted for a second time to know whether they took any action, the OC said the men used the gun for "joy", and it was not their jurisdiction to take any action if someone did this.

The police station did not write to the DC office as well.

Regarding firearm use, Superintendent of Police of Dhaka Shah Migan Shafiur Rahman said police would investigate the incident and legal steps would be taken if they found negligence in the use of the firearm.

According to Dhamrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abul Kalam, a man cannot use his licensed firearm for any joy. It can be used only for self-defence, he said.

"The licence of a firearm could be cancelled for such use," said the UNO, adding, "I will inform the DC office in this regard."

The DC office issues the firearm licence and preserves the authority to cancel it.

To know whether the shotgun used in the tournament inauguration ceremony was licensed, The Daily Star contacted Mousumi Mahbub, a senior assistant commissioner and executive magistrate, who is also in-charge of the firearm department of the DC office in Dhaka.

Echoing the UNO, she said even if a firearm was licensed, the owner could not use it for joy.

She also asked the correspondent to file an application to know whether there is any firearm licensed to Golam Moula Firoz.

"We'll inquire whether the firearm is licensed and take proper action," she said.

The Daily Star filed an application in this regard under the Right to Information Act.