A high-level military visit symbolising warming relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan ended on an awkward note when airport security at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport discovered a dummy assault rifle in the luggage of Pakistan’s top military officer, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, on the evening of October 28.
General Mirza, Chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the second-most powerful figure in the Pakistan Army after Field Marshal General Asim Munir, had completed a four-day official visit to Bangladesh from October 24 to 28.
As the delegation — which included Mirza’s spouse and three senior officers (two Pakistan Army majors and a Navy commodore) — prepared to depart for Dubai on Emirates Airlines flight EK-587, airport security personnel at the CIP (Commercially Important Person) gate detected a “heavy item” in one of the bags during a routine X-ray scan around 6 p.m.
Upon inspection, the object was found to be a 7.62 mm BD-08 dummy assault rifle, a ceremonial replica of a standard Bangladeshi service weapon.
A gift that sparked confusion
Sources from airport security and intelligence services confirmed that the dummy rifle had been presented as a ceremonial gift to Gen. Mirza by Lieutenant General S. M. Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer in Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division, during their meeting on October 26.
Though the rifle was non-functional and lacked a firing pin, airport officials clarified that aviation safety and customs regulations still apply to replica or deactivated firearms.
“The weapon, though inoperable, falls under restricted items that require prior declaration and clearance,” an airport security official said.
Protocol oversight and discreet resolution
Neither the Bangladeshi hosts nor the Pakistani visitors had notified airport or customs authorities about the souvenir, as is typically required when transporting such items internationally.
Realising the sensitivity of the situation, security personnel handled the matter quietly to avoid public embarrassment. The item was temporarily withheld, and the delegation was allowed to board their flight after brief formalities.
Officials from both sides later described the issue as a “minor misunderstanding” caused by a procedural lapse rather than deliberate misconduct.
A visit marked by warmth — and a misstep
During his four-day visit, Gen. Mirza was accorded exceptional hospitality by the Bangladeshi armed forces. His schedule included official meetings, ceremonial events, and defence discussions aimed at enhancing military-to-military engagement between the two nations.
The incident, though resolved smoothly, caused momentary embarrassment for both Dhaka and Islamabad, slightly marring what was otherwise a successful diplomatic and defence exchange.