Has Adviser Asif acquired a firearm without fulfilling the legal requirements?

irearm Licence Controversy Engulfs Youth Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain

Serious questions have emerged over whether Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, interim adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, lawfully met the criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, amid accusations that he misled the public about his eligibility.

On Sunday, a magazine of live ammunition was discovered in Asif’s bag at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, confirmed Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, the airport’s executive director.

Asif later acknowledged the incident in a Facebook post, stating the magazine had been unintentionally packed.

According to official firearm licensing regulations, applicants must be Bangladeshi citizens, mentally and physically fit, aged between 30 and 70, and must apply as individuals. They are also required to show proof of income tax payments—at least Tk300,000 annually for three consecutive years for pistols, revolvers, or rifles—along with corresponding certificates issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

However, the Local Government Division’s website lists Asif’s age as 26—well below the minimum required age.

In a Facebook post, investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer questioned whether Asif had met these legal conditions.

“Asif claims to own a licensed firearm for personal safety, but the law sets clear requirements,” Saer wrote. “Even if he’s now over 30, did he submit proof of paying Tk300,000 in annual income tax for three consecutive years? That is non-negotiable.”

He continued: “If he was exempted from tax requirements due to ministerial privilege, then where did the money come from to purchase the firearm, and how was it procured?”

While Asif insisted there was “nothing illegal or intentional” about carrying the magazine and cited “security threats” as justification for possessing a licensed weapon, the incident has intensified public concern over potential abuse of firearm regulations by politically connected individuals.

Rights Activist Slams 'Mob Rule'

Human rights lawyer Advocate Manzill Murshid, speaking to the Daily Sun, expressed skepticism about the legality of Asif’s firearm licence.

“They do whatever they please—even without meeting the requirements,” Murshid said. “Their actions override the law, and there’s no accountability.”

He added, “This country is no longer governed by law but by mobocracy, designed to protect personal interests—with Prof Muhammad Yunus positioned as a symbolic target.”

Murshid also questioned the apparent double standard in enforcement. Recalling a past incident where Ekushey Television Chairman Abdus Salam was arrested and charged for possessing a bullet magazine, he asked, “But who will arrest this adviser?”

“If police tried to arrest him, his student supporters would show up in mobs and beat the police to death,” he said.

Murshid, who also serves as president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, argued that advisers like Asif are betraying the hopes of citizens who envisioned a new beginning—free from corruption and abuse of power.