With national elections looming, Bangladesh is grappling with a mounting security crisis fueled by a large cache of missing stolen firearms and ammunition.
Despite ongoing police operations, more than 1,400 stolen guns and nearly 2,50,000 bullets remain unaccounted for, heightening fears of escalating violence across the country.
Thousands of licensed firearms, which were supposed to be surrendered, have reportedly slipped into criminal hands, intensifying concerns over lawlessness. This surge in illegal weapons is linked to recent incidents of violence, including targeted shootings and armed robberies, creating an atmosphere of fear in an already tense pre-election period.
Recent deadly attacks in Dhaka’s Mohakhali and Darus Salam neighborhoods, where two individuals were fatally shot by terrorists, have prompted investigations pointing to involvement by organized crime networks and their accomplices.
Colonel Iftikhar Ahmed, additional director general of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), assured the public that security forces are fully prepared for election-related challenges. “We are conducting continuous operations against illegal arms carriers, extortionists, and drug traffickers to maintain law and order,” he stated.
Intelligence reports reveal that many of the stolen firearms originate from police stations and are being actively used in serious crimes such as murder, assault, robbery, and extortion.
Furthermore, arms smuggling across Bangladesh’s borders continues, allegedly supported by factions linked to the previous government and foreign entities.
The scale of the problem became starkly evident after last year’s governmental transition, when a total of 5,753 firearms—including pistols, rifles, submachine guns, and shotguns—along with over 6,50,000 bullets, were reported stolen from 460 police stations and 114 outposts. Even the presidential residence at Ganabhaban was targeted, with 32 heavy weapons stolen from the Special Security Force’s arsenal.
According to RAB data, only 484 stolen firearms have been recovered by December 2024. This includes 90 stolen from RAB itself, 228 from police forces, and 166 illegal weapons seized during operations. Over 20,000 bullets have also been retrieved, but the majority of stolen arms remain in criminal possession.
AHM Shahadat Hossain, Additional Inspector General of Police (Media), confirmed ongoing efforts to recover the missing weapons. “Many arms have been recovered, and operations to locate the remaining firearms are actively underway,” he said.
Dr. Tawohidul Haque, criminology expert and associate professor at Dhaka University, emphasized the urgent need for unified, apolitical action to tackle the illegal arms problem. “It is imperative to confiscate these weapons immediately to prevent a surge in pre-election violence,” he warned.
In recent months, criminal groups armed with heavy weapons have displayed aggressive power in several regions, including Bayezid Bostami in Chittagong. Despite intensified police action, violence such as armed clashes, robberies, and shootings has surged in districts including Chattogram, Cumilla, Narsingdi, and Dhaka.
Security experts urge swift and coordinated measures to confiscate these weapons and restore public safety.
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
