Controlling Illegal Weapons Before the Election a Major Challenge

During election campaigning in Chattogram, several people, including BNP-nominated MP candidate Ershad Ullah, were shot, and one person was killed. In Old Dhaka, Tariq Saif Mamun was shot dead in broad daylight. Earlier, in the char areas of Munshiganj Sadar upazila, two people were shot dead within a week due to internal conflict between two BNP factions. Incidents of shootings and armed violence have also been occurring across various districts.

Controlling illegal weapons has become a major challenge. Concerns over violence and instability ahead of the upcoming national election are growing. To tackle this, law enforcement agencies are focusing on stopping the entry of illegal weapons through borders, recovering previously looted weapons, and suppressing criminal networks.

Additional Inspector General of Police Khondaker Rafiqul Islam told the media that controlling illegal firearms is a major challenge and a threat to law and order. He stated that instead of public declarations, all units have been instructed to carry out internal operations to recover illegal weapons, as reward announcements had produced no results—no one handed over any armed individual.

Experts say illegal weapons may be increasingly used around the election, potentially destabilising the electoral environment. A significant portion of illegal arms enters the country through border routes, making control difficult. Many weapons looted from police stations and outposts remain in the hands of criminals and are being used in crimes. Recovering these arms is now a major challenge.

Law enforcement and joint forces are conducting regular operations to recover illegal weapons. Measures have also been taken to stop arms infiltration through borders. The Election Commission has been holding meetings with law enforcement to address the challenges, including controlling illegal weapons.

Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) arrested 112 armed criminals in the nine months from January to September. In coastal areas, including Bhola, 70 terrorists and 61 miscreants were detained in the past six months, with 34 firearms recovered. Recently, five armed individuals were arrested in Raozan of Chattogram district.

Several armed individuals have been arrested in the killing of Jubo Dal leader Golam Kibria in Pallabi—two from Savar and Tongi, and another detained with local assistance.

Crime analysts warn that if the use of illegal firearms is not curbed immediately, it may increase further before the election, affecting voting. Police claim crime has somewhat decreased compared to before, although the use of firearms remains frequent.

Since last year’s 5 August, operations have continued against looted police weapons, unreturned weapons, and illegal firearms. The government recently announced rewards: 500,000 taka for recovering a looted police LMG, 150,000 for an SMG, 100,000 for a Chinese rifle, 50,000 for a pistol or shotgun, and 500 taka per round of ammunition.

However, a police source said once a firearm is lost, recovery becomes difficult. Top criminals trade illegal weapons. During last year’s uprising, large quantities of weapons and ammunition were looted and remain unrecovered. Latest figures show 1,342 firearms and 257,287 rounds of ammunition are still missing.

According to Police Headquarters, during the uprising, 5,753 weapons and 651,008 rounds of ammunition were looted after attacks and arson on 460 of 664 police stations and 114 outposts.

Intelligence reports indicate that looted weapons were used in recent murders and major robberies in Dhaka and Chattogram. Failure to conduct proper operations has emboldened criminals and heightened public insecurity.

Former IGP Mohammad Nurul Huda told the media that looted weapons may influence the upcoming election. Such weapons do not remain unused—they have changed hands multiple times and reached criminals. He warned that there is still time to recover them, otherwise chaos may arise.

Narayanganj situation

Narayanganj correspondent M A Khan Mithu reported that the district police’s reward announcement for recovering looted weapons during last year’s anti-discrimination movement has been ineffective. Even after the 10 November reward announcement, no weapons have been recovered after 15 days. Last year, 41 weapons were looted from different police stations during the movement.

If these weapons are not recovered before the election, there is a risk of their use against political opponents. Several incidents of illegal weapon display and shootings have occurred in Narayanganj, but police have not recovered any weapons or arrested any armed suspects, raising public concern.

On 6 March, clashes and shootings occurred between two BNP factions over dominance and control of EPZ’s jhoot business in Siddhirganj’s Adamjee area. A photo of an armed individual was published in the media, but he has yet to be arrested. This month, four shooting incidents took place in different areas of the city, injuring a housewife.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Tarik Al Mehedi said that monitoring and recovery of illegal weapons will be intensified ahead of the election. He stated that police, RAB, army, and all forces are working jointly and are prepared to handle any situation.

Khaborwala/TSN