Over the past year, the country has witnessed a worrying surge in violent incidents involving illegal firearms. Political clashes alone have left hundreds injured and more than a hundred people dead, spanning multiple professions and communities. Police investigations indicate that many of these incidents involved firearms looted from police stations during the widespread public protests in July.
According to law enforcement sources, a total of 5,753 firearms were stolen from police stations, outposts, and other law enforcement facilities during this period. Among these were 32 high-powered weapons looted from the Special Security Force (SSF) at Ganabhaban. While police operations have successfully recovered a significant portion of these weapons, 1,335 firearms remain unaccounted for, along with 257,189 rounds of ammunition, which are believed to have fallen into criminal hands.
The violent potential of these missing weapons was highlighted last December when Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha, was fatally shot, sparking nationwide outrage. Other political activists have also fallen victim to firearm-related attacks, including recent incidents in Chattogram where gangsters fired upon a prominent businessperson’s residence after failing to extort protection money.
Intelligence reports suggest that with the upcoming national parliamentary election, various types of illegal weapons are being smuggled into the country through multiple border points. The continued presence of looted police firearms in criminal hands has already contributed to murders, robberies, extortion, and territorial control by gangs.
Police investigations indicate that urban centres such as Mirpur, Mohammadpur, and Jatrabari now see many firearms in the possession of youth gangs and other criminal networks. In response, the Home Affairs Advisor, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, recently confirmed that law enforcement agencies are actively monitoring illegal arms inflows ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam has also instructed field officers to intensify operations to recover looted firearms. According to police data, the breakdown of looted weapons last year includes rifles, pistols, shotguns, submachine guns (SMGs), light machine guns (LMGs), and gas guns:
| Weapon Type | Quantity Stolen | Quantity Recovered | Remaining Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifles (various models) | 348 | – | – |
| Shotguns | 703 | – | – |
| Submachine Guns (SMG) | 30 | – | – |
| Light Machine Guns (LMG) | 13 | – | – |
| Pistols | 649 | – | – |
| Total | 1,743 | – | 1,335 |
Border security operations have recently recovered 64 illegal firearms, alongside hundreds of rounds of ammunition and hand grenades, from multiple locations including Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf, Ukhiya, Cumilla, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Khulna. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has seized 484 firearms across the country since last year.
Criminologists warn that if these looted and smuggled weapons are not recovered promptly, the country could face a sharp escalation in election-related violence. As the parliamentary elections approach, law enforcement officials continue to emphasise that reclaiming these illegal arms is critical to maintaining public safety and ensuring a peaceful electoral process.