Three abandoned firearms recovered from Ctg garbage dump, two identified as looted police weapons
Three abandoned firearms and 30 rounds of ammunition were recovered from a garbage dump in Chattogram last night (5 May), two of which were identified as weapons looted from the Kotwali Police Station during last year's July uprising, police said.
According to a press release from Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), the weapons were discovered in a garbage pile near the residence of Siraj Zamindar, on the north side of the Marine Drive area under Bakalia Police Station.
Among the recovered items were two 9mm pistols manufactured in Brazil, a revolver made in England, and 30 rounds of ammunition. Police said the two pistols were confirmed to have been looted from the Kotwali police armory, while the revolver is suspected to have been taken from another police station in the city during last year's unrest.
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On 5 August last year, amid a mass uprising that led to the fall of the government, several police establishments in Chattogram—including Kotwali, Patenga, Halishahar, EPZ, and Pahartali police stations—were attacked, resulting in the looting of their armories and storage rooms.
Chattogram police officials stated that approximately 1,000 weapons were looted from various stations during that period. Since then, law enforcement agencies have managed to recover some of the stolen firearms and ammunition.
On 3 March this year, two Jamaat-e-Islami activists were killed in a mob beating in the Eochia union of Satkania upazila. A foreign-made pistol recovered from the scene was later confirmed by Chattogram District Police Superintendent Saiful Islam Santo on 6 March to belong to Kotwali Police Station and stolen in August 2024.
Further investigations into the looted weapons led to the arrest of six individuals, including a police constable named Riyad, on 21 March. Riyad, who was serving with the Chandpur District Police, was detained for his alleged involvement in the illegal sale of the stolen weapons.
Police say efforts are ongoing to trace and recover the remaining looted firearms and hold those responsible accountable.
