Feni, Bangladesh – Nearly 17 months after a wave of violence swept through Feni, many deadly weapons looted from police stations on 5 August remain unaccounted for. Law enforcement officials have expressed growing concern, warning that these firearms, some of which were used during the unrest, continue to pose a serious threat. With the national elections approaching, public anxiety over security has intensified.
Reports indicate that during the unrest, leaders and activists associated with the ruling Awami League opened indiscriminate fire to suppress student and public protests. The clashes resulted in at least eight fatalities across the district. On 5 August, the day of the government’s downfall, 33 firearms were stolen from local police stations. Despite ongoing recovery efforts, several weapons—including five pistols and two shotguns—remain missing.
Most of the firearms used during the uprising are still untraced, raising concerns among political parties that these weapons could be exploited during the upcoming elections.
Weapons Looted and Recovered in Feni District
| Weapon Type | Looted (5 Aug) | Recovered | Still Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistols | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Shotguns | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Rifles/Assault Arms | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| Total | 33 | 26 | 7 |
BPF candidate for Feni-2, Zainal Abedin, emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating: “These weapons have already been used to kill countless people. Many remain unaccounted for, and others were stolen from police custody. It is critical that both the firearms and those wielding them are swiftly apprehended.”
Similarly, Fakhruddin Manik, the Jamaat candidate for Feni-3, voiced cautious optimism regarding electoral fairness, while highlighting persistent concerns: “While I remain hopeful for a fair election, the presence of declared and past criminals roaming freely in the district prevents any sense of security.”
Local police have confirmed that only 95 licensed weapons have been deposited, leaving many illegal firearms still in circulation. Participants of the July protests have voiced anger over the incomplete recovery of looted arms. One protester said: “The weapons taken from our police stations during the uprising have yet to be recovered in any meaningful way.”
Feni’s Additional Superintendent of Police (DSB), Saiful Islam, stated: “We have recovered 26 weapons so far, with seven still missing. Our intelligence operations and field investigations continue. Additionally, we have reviewed footage from 4 August, where multiple firearms were used, and we managed to recover one more weapon from that incident.”
Authorities claim that election security monitoring has been intensified. Nevertheless, with several looted firearms still unaccounted for, residents fear a potential deterioration of law and order during the polls. Monira Haque, the Feni District Returning Officer, added: “The district police, army, and RAB are conducting extensive operations. We remain alert, and specific intelligence will make these operations more effective.”