Illegal Arms Recovery Emerges as Major Pre-Election Challenge: Law Enforcers Outline Plans

With the 13th national parliamentary election approaching, recovering looted and illegal arms has become a significant concern for Bangladesh's law enforcement agencies. The massive looting of weapons during the 5 August 2024 uprising, combined with arms smuggling across borders, poses a serious threat to election security and could fuel violence or disrupt the voting environment, officials and experts warn.

The challenge is acute: despite two rounds of rewards, only a fraction of the looted arms have been recovered. On 5 November 2024, Police Headquarters announced fresh incentives: Tk 500,000 for an LMG, Tk 150,000 for an SMG, Tk 100,000 for a China rifle, Tk 50,000 for pistols or shotguns, and Tk 500 per bullet.

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury assured: "All looted arms from before and after 5 August 2024 will be recovered before the election. Anyone providing information will receive government rewards."

Law Enforcers' Multi-Pronged Strategy

To counter the threat, law enforcement is intensifying efforts across several fronts:

1. Joint Operations Nationwide Police, RAB, BGB, Army, Ansar, Coast Guard and intelligence agencies are conducting coordinated drives. On 27 November 2025, EC shared a two-phase security plan, emphasising illegal arms recovery alongside poster removal and personnel deployment.
2. Border Vigilance BGB and Coast Guard are ramping up patrols to block smuggling from India and Myanmar. Key entry points include Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Khulna, Chapainawabganj, Satkhira, Jessore, Meherpur, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Rajshahi, Hili, Sylhet, Ramgarh and Sabrum in Khagrachhari.
3. Intelligence-Led Crackdowns DGFI, NSI, SB and CID are mapping networks involved in arms circulation. DMP DC (Media) Muhammad Talebur Rahman said: "We are working with intelligence to dismantle smuggling rings and prevent subversive activities."
4. Reward and Amnesty Extensions The 5 November rewards remain active. Earlier amnesties (ending 3 September 2024) saw 13,340 of 17,200 surrendered weapons returned after scrutiny, but officials now say no further returns until after polls.

The Scale of the Problem

Police data shows:

• Looted during uprising: 5,763 firearms from 460 police stations/outposts; 651,832 rounds of ammo.
• Recovered: 4,390 firearms (76%); 394,112 rounds (60%).
• Still missing: 1,363 firearms; 257,720 rounds.

Smuggling adds hundreds more annually, per BGB DG Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam. Former IGP Mohammad Nurul Huda warned: "These arms don't stay idle – they've changed hands multiple times and reached terrorists. Recovery is urgent before elections."

Recent Incidents Highlight Risks

Political violence has already flared:

• Chattogram-8: BNP candidate Ershad Ullah and several others shot during campaigning; one killed.
• Old Dhaka: Top terrorist Tariq Saif Mamun gunned down in broad daylight.
• Munshiganj: Two BNP members killed in factional clashes within a week.
• Scattered incidents: Arms use reported in multiple districts.

Expert Views on the Threat

Crime analyst Dr Tauhidul Haque said: "Despite efforts, not all looted arms have been recovered. They threaten law and order. With elections ahead, their use in violence is a real risk. Influentials could deploy them to sway polls, while terrorists might exploit chaos."

Law enforcement sources note arms have circulated through multiple hands, complicating recovery. Joint teams are active, but experts stress intelligence-sharing and border tech upgrades.

EC's Coordination Push

EC is holding two-phase meetings with forces, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Ministry, Police, RAB, BGB, Ansar, Coast Guard, DGFI, NSI, NTMC, SB and CID. Focus: security deployment, illegal arms recovery, and maintaining neutral voting.

AIG (Media/PR) A H M Shahadat Hossain said: "Nationwide operations against criminals continue. We have recovered many looted arms; joint forces are working on the rest."

As February 2026 polls near, the race against time to neutralise this "ticking bomb" intensifies. Failure could cast a long shadow over the democratic process.