Staff Reporter:
The interim government has revoked 778 licenses of firearms, mostly belonging to influential Awami League members, as the deadline for handing them over to state authorities has expired.
During Awami League government’s three terms, from 6 January 2009 to 5 August 2024, over 19,500 firearm licenses were issued across the country.
Although the law limits the use of personal firearms to self-defence purposes only, many Awami League heavyweights used their new firearms publicly to intimidate political opponents and project lethal power.
Notably, due to their offensive and unlawful use, all these firearms have already become illegal.
Some of these firearms were used even after the fall of Awami League regime on 5 August, pushing the interim government to require the new firearm wielders from Awami League regime to surrender their weapons to the nearest police stations by 3 September.
As many failed to meet the deadline, the 778 licenses have been cancelled effectively rendering the concerned weapons illegal.
All the district police units have been asked to recover the now-illegal firearms, as per a letter sent to the district police superintendents.
However, there is no information about the location of the 778 illegal weapons, and the whereabouts of the owners. Furthermore, the police force has not even provided a report on their firearms recovery drive to the home ministry.
Some home ministry officials told reporters that a reduction in police workforce following mob attacks in early August has weakened their response capabilities.
But the presence of pro-Awami League personnel in the force is also to blame for allegedly lethargic arms recovery efforts.
As per license data, during the Awami League regime, most of the new firearms were introduced in Dhaka district, followed by 141 in Pabna, 73 in Chattogram, 66 in Jashore, 63 in Sylhet and 38 in Cox’s Bazar.
Many of these were not even licensed, and the authorities turned a blind eye to the crisis at the behest of Awami League officials.
Most of the Awami League owners of the now-illegal firearms have either fled the country, gone into hiding or are avoiding visit to police stations after being implicated in lawsuits, officials believe.
