124 licensed, 3 looted firearms yet to be surrendered in Cox's Bazar

Three looted and 124 licensed firearms have not been surrendered yet in Cox's Bazar even though the submission deadline ended yesterday (3 September), according to district administration.

Earlier, the government declared strict legal action if the arms were not deposited in the respective police stations within 3 September.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended all licensed firearms issued during the Awami League regime from 6 January 2009 to 5 August 2024, requiring them to be surrendered.

According to the district administration, as of 5pm today (4 September), only 81 out of 205 licensed firearms in the district have been submitted. However, 124 arms are yet to be surrendered.

Besides, three firearms and other items looted from Eidgah Police Station on 5 August have not been recovered.

"On 5 August, a Chinese rifle and two pistols were looted. No one has surrendered them, and we have not been able to recover them yet," Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police (SP) Mahfuzul Islam told The Business Standard.

"Additionally, 95% of the items, including over 500 seized vehicles, looted from Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station on the same day, have also not been recovered as of Wednesday," he added.

The SP also urged the people to cooperate with the joint operation by law enforcement agencies which began today to recover the weapons.