The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

The Government is learnt to have decided to arm cops by sophisticated 9mm handguns.

Informed sources said that the 9mm handguns had earlier been permissible only for the police bigwigs and the military officials.

The Smith and Wesson Company is reportedly trying hard to get the arms supply deal. It could not be known immediately about the size of the lot and the status of the deal.

Cops in the post independence time had been using the Lee Enfield Mark series (1-5) .303 and Lee Enfield Calcutta (7.62X51mm) rifles.

The police force was armed with Chinese SKS (7.62X39mm) semiautomatic and new generation AK-47 assault rifles during the BNP-Jamaat regime couple of years ago.

Sources hinted that cops at the level of Assistant Sub-Inspector and above would get the handgun for individual protection and encountering the culprits if the procurement is made.

Official vendor of the chosen brand of handguns already visited the top security officials in Dhaka. Feature and utility demonstration of the popular handguns was also done.