Despite law enforcement operations following the July mass uprising and the government’s fall on August 5, a significant number of weapons and ammunition looted from police stations and other law enforcement facilities remain unrecovered. While authorities have retrieved most of the stolen arms, approximately 1,500 weapons—including Chinese rifles and SMGs—and around 250,000 rounds of ammunition are still missing.
Experts have expressed concern that these looted illegal arms could pose serious security risks during the upcoming national parliamentary election and in general public life.
Extent of Looting and Recovery Efforts
A.H.M. Shahadat Hossain, AIG (Media & PR) of the Police Headquarters, reported that during the 2024 uprising, a total of 460 police installations were damaged, including 114 police stations (58 vandalized, 56 set on fire) and 1,024 vehicles. A total of 5,756 firearms were looted, of which 4,413 have been recovered, leaving 1,343 still missing.
The total number of looted rounds of ammunition was 652,082, with 394,434 rounds recovered. Preliminary reports indicate that Chinese rifles, pistols, and some Chinese SMGs have not been recovered, though all Category-C SMGs have been secured.
The army reported that in operations over the past month, a total of 65 illegal weapons and 297 rounds of ammunition were recovered, along with 9,794 firearms and 287,359 rounds.
Prison Breaks and Looted Weapons
During the uprising, 2,247 prisoners escaped from high-security jails in Narsingdi, Satkhira, Kushtia, Sherpur, and Kashimpur, with 67 weapons looted in the process; 27 of these weapons have since been recovered. Approximately 1,500 escaped prisoners have been re-arrested, and around 700 voluntarily returned to custody. Of 93 high-risk escapees, 60 have been captured, with efforts continuing to apprehend the rest.
Illegal Arms Circulation
There are reports of looted weapons being sold on the black market. In May, revolvers and ammunition looted during the uprising were recovered from Mohammad Parvez and Riazur Rahman in Chattogram, while 12 rounds from a Chinese rifle were seized from Rajib Hossain in Khilgaon, Dhaka, who admitted to selling them.
Cross-border trafficking of illegal arms also continues. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has recovered domestic pistols, magazines, and ammunition in recent operations. Experts warn that the combination of looted weapons and cross-border arms could increase instability during the elections.
Government Measures and Rewards
In August last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended all civilian firearm licenses issued between January 6, 2009, and August 5, 2024, and directed that all weapons and ammunition be deposited at police stations by September 3. A total of 9,191 firearms were submitted in 64 districts, while 1,654 remain unsubmitted, now considered illegal.
The law enforcement core committee has announced rewards of up to BDT 500,000 for recovered weapons: BDT 50,000 for shotguns/pistols, BDT 100,000 for Chinese rifles/SMGs, BDT 500,000 for LMGs, and BDT 500 per recovered round of ammunition.
Experts’ Warnings
Dr. Tauhidul Haque, a criminologist and faculty member at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research, stated that looted weapons are linked to criminal activity and if they remain with criminals, they could trigger major unrest during the elections or at other times. He emphasized the urgent need to recover the weapons using technology and intelligence, apprehend escaped high-risk prisoners, and ensure nationwide retrieval, not just in Dhaka.
Government and Security Forces Assurance
Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Home Affairs Adviser, assured that while it may not be possible to recover all looted weapons, all necessary measures are being taken to maintain election security, including special preparedness if required.
The police continue daily operations across the country to seize weapons and illegal materials, while special training and preparations are ongoing to ensure a peaceful and secure electoral environment.