SC lawyer files writ with HC seeking suspension of polls until looted arms are recovered
The lawyer told The Business Standard that the petition may be heard by an HC bench tomorrow or early next week.
A Supreme Court lawyer has filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking the suspension of the upcoming national election until all firearms looted following the 2024 July Uprising have been recovered and adequate security ensured.
The writ was filed today (14 January) as a public interest litigation by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan.
He told The Business Standard that the petition may be heard by an HC bench tomorrow or early next week.
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The cabinet secretary, the home secretary, the law secretary, the Election Commission secretary, the inspector general of police, and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) director general have been made respondents in the case.
According to the writ, media reports indicate that during the mass uprising, 5,750 firearms and 6,51,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations and law enforcement offices across the country.
Despite the government announcing rewards for their recovery, a significant portion of these weapons remains unrecovered, which the petitioner described as deeply alarming.
The petition argues that the presence of such a large number of illegal weapons in the hands of criminals poses a serious threat to the lives of voters and candidates ahead of the election. It cites the killing of Dhaka-8 candidate Sharif Osman Hadi as evidence of the risks involved if the election is held without first recovering the arms.
The writ also refers to a statement by Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah, who reportedly said that recovering illegal weapons before the election is crucial.
The SC lawyer further said while the government has arranged armed security for some candidates, it has failed to ensure the safety of ordinary voters. Holding an election without recovering the looted weapons, he argued, would amount to a violation of the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The petition seeks a High Court directive to postpone the national election until all looted firearms and ammunition are recovered and a secure environment for voters and candidates is ensured.
