TDS Desk:

On August 5 last year, during the mass uprising, the police retreated in the face of fierce resistance and after news of the government’s fall.

Unmanned stations across the country were looted of thousands of firearms and while a portion of them have been recovered in various drives, nearly 1,500 firearms remain missing.

After the formation of the new government, law enforcement agencies conducted multiple operations to recover these stolen weapons.

Relevant authorities believe these weapons have fallen into the hands of criminals.

In a recent address to the nation, Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus announced that the 13th National Parliamentary Election will be held in February next year.

The Election Commission has already begun taking various initiatives to ensure the polls are free, fair and impartial.

However, there are concerns that criminals, using the stolen police weapons, may attempt to pressure the government and law enforcement agencies during the election.

Authorities fear these weapons could influence the electoral field in the upcoming national polls.

Crime analysts state that one of the major challenges in ensuring a fair election is the recovery of these looted firearms. If they cannot be retrieved, security concerns surrounding the election are likely to increase — a concern also shared by the police.

Law enforcement agencies, however, maintain that various police units remain active in recovering the firearms looted during the uprising, along with other illegal weapons nationwide.

According to sources at Police Headquarters, the events of August 5, 2024, saw attacks and looting at a total of 574 police installations, including stations and outposts.

In total, 5,753 state-owned firearms and 6,51,832 rounds of ammunition were stolen.

Operations launched in September last year recovered over 4,000 of these firearms and approximately 4,00,000 rounds of ammunition. And currently, some 1,500 firearms remain unaccounted for.

At a press conference at Dhaka Cantonment in July, Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters, told journalists that so far, the Bangladesh Army has recovered 80% of the looted weapons.

The remaining 20%, he said, would be seized before the upcoming election to prevent any attempt to destabilize the environment during the polls.

On the night of August 9, the army conducted a major operation in Dhaka, raiding several shops and warehouses in the New Market area and seizing around 1,100 sharp weapons.

Nine individuals involved in the sale and supply of these weapons were arrested.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is also working to recover the looted arms.

According to the unit, nearly 1,900 firearms were looted from DMP installations during July–August. Of these, slightly over 1,200 have been recovered.

The DMP expects to retrieve all such weapons before the national election.

WHAT OFFICIALS SAY

DMP Deputy Commissioner of Media and Public Relations Muhammad Talebur Rahman said: “We hope to meet the prerequisites for a proper and peaceful law and order situation before the election. Our drive to recover illegal weapons is ongoing.”

AIG (Media and PR) of Police Headquarters AHM Shahadat Hossain said: “Police operations against criminals are continuing to maintain law and order. Efforts to recover illegal weapons nationwide are ongoing. We have already managed to recover many of the looted arms and work is underway to retrieve the rest.”

He further said: “In addition, police presence and patrols have been increased across the country, particularly in crime-prone areas. Intelligence activities have been intensified to arrest offenders. Checkpoints have been set up in major cities and key locations to detain criminals.”

Dr Md Towohidul Haque, associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, and a society and crime specialist told said: “Despite the government’s efforts, the recovery of these weapons has not been adequate.

“Given that state-owned weapons were looted, intelligence agencies must be made more active, and the army and its relevant units should be mobilised for operations. This could make recovery possible. Otherwise, criminals may use these weapons to pressure the government and law enforcement agencies during the upcoming election.”

“This will also create fear among the public and voters, making it uncertain whether a level playing field for the election can be ensured. These weapons were not taken by mistake — they were taken with planning. The perpetrators have specific purposes, including using them in criminal activities. The government’s strategy of announcing rewards for information is unlikely to work, as criminals will not respond to rewards,” he further said.

He suggested that the government and law enforcement agencies conduct special drives dedicated to recovering the weapons, noting that if the army joined other police units in nationwide operations, it could yield results.