New Delhi/Dhaka, Jan 20: Around 15% of firearms and nearly 30% of ammunition looted during Bangladesh’s 2024 unrest remain unaccounted for, raising fears of a spike in gun-related violence ahead of the national elections, security experts warn.
During the July-August 2024 uprising, 5,753 firearms and roughly 651,609 rounds of ammunition were stolen from police stations, outposts, vehicles, and detention facilities following widespread attacks on law enforcement.
Despite year-long recovery efforts, about 1,362 firearms and 250,000 rounds are still missing, including rifles, sub-machine guns, pistols, shotguns, and tear gas launchers.
Experts say the presence of these unaccounted weapons, combined with limited law enforcement capacity, makes the security situation fragile.
Former Inspector General Muhammad Nurul Huda emphasized that politically motivated murders have already occurred in recent months, highlighting the threat as the February 12 election approaches.
Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (retd) noted that law enforcement remains operationally weak despite recovery efforts, which could hinder maintaining order during the polls.
Political violence in Bangladesh has historically intensified ahead of elections, but the current phase is marked by the increasing visibility and use of firearms, replacing previously crude weapons.
Recent incidents in Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Pabna, and Gazipur have left political activists, businesspeople, and citizens dead or injured.
Notable cases include the January 7 shooting of BNP-affiliated Azizur Rahman Musabbir in Dhaka and the December 12 shooting of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
Candidates have expressed personal safety concerns, with BNP candidate SM Zilani seen wearing a bulletproof vest in a viral video.
While the interim government asserts that the situation is under control and highlights ongoing arms recovery drives, critics, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, call it a “clear failure” to restore law and order and recover looted weapons, leaving election security under serious threat. (PTI)
