1,362 looted weapons remain missing nationwide amid election security concerns
According to Police Headquarters, after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, attacks, vandalism and arson took place at police installations across the country.
A total of 1,362 weapons looted from police stations, outposts and prisons during the uprising in July–August 2024 are yet to be recovered, with law enforcers reporting that some of these weapons are now being used for mugging and robbery.
The slow pace of recovery has raised concerns over security ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election next month.
According to Police Headquarters, after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, attacks, vandalism and arson took place at police installations across the country.
During these incidents, 5,763 weapons were looted. As of 5 January this year, 4,428 have been recovered, leaving 1,335 still untraced.
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Additionally, weapons and ammunition were taken from prisons during related attacks.
Prison authorities report that 94 weapons and 9,000 rounds of ammunition were looted.
Of these, 67 weapons and about 2,000 rounds of ammunition have been recovered, while 27 weapons and roughly 7,000 rounds remain missing.
Looted weapons used in crimes
Law enforcement sources say many of the missing weapons have changed hands and reached criminal groups. These are being used in crimes such as mugging, extortion and robbery.
On 6 January at dawn, RAB-4 conducted a raid at an under-construction building near the Arman Community Learning Centre in the capital's Pallabi area, arresting four suspected criminals and drug dealers.
Based on information from the detainees, officers recovered one foreign pistol, one round of ammunition, four local weapons, Yaba tablets and Phensedyl from the building.
Additional Superintendent of Police Md Shahabuddin Kabir, company commander of RAB-4, stated that the foreign pistol recovered was looted from a police station after 5 August.
He said the weapon changed hands several times and was used for drug spot control, extortion and robbery in the Mirpur area.
Experts warn of election risks
Politicians and experts warn that failure to fully recover the looted weapons may pose security risks during the upcoming election.
Gazi Ataur Rahman, senior joint secretary general of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, told The Business Standard that although the Election Commission reported recovering about 70% of the weapons, many illegal arms remain in circulation.
"We are observing slightly less momentum in recovering weapons before the election than what should be expected," he added.
Tauhidul Haque, a teacher at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research at Dhaka University and a crime expert, said the presence of looted weapons creates challenges for both election security and public safety.
"The government has conducted several operations, including 'Devil Hunt'. However, we are not seeing any visible progress regarding the recovery of the looted weapons," he added.
He said looted or illegal weapons in the hands of criminals can be used for personal purposes or during political events. He urged a targeted operation to recover the remaining arms, warning that delays could heighten public fear and affect the election environment.
Election Commission calls for stronger action
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah said around 15% of the weapons and 30% of the ammunition looted from police stations during the uprising are yet to be recovered.
He directed law enforcement agencies to intensify recovery efforts before the national election.
He stated this on Tuesday morning in Chattogram after a meeting with the law enforcement cell and the Vigilance and Observation Team.
"Since 13 December, about 200 looted weapons have been recovered. However, a significant amount of weapons and ammunition still remains to be recovered. To avoid security risks ahead of the election, there is no alternative to recovering these weapons quickly," he said.
Police say operations continue
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) AHM Shahadat Hossain of the Police Headquarters' Media and Public Relations Department told The Business Standard that police have recovered around 80% of the looted weapons.
He said "Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2" is underway with priority given to weapon recovery alongside arresting suspected criminals. Intelligence surveillance has also been increased.
He further said, "We will recover as many weapons as we can before the election. We hope that once all weapons are recovered before the election, there will be no cause for any kind of concern."
