The home ministry today imposed a seven-day ban on carrying licensed firearms across Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation areas ahead of the city polls scheduled for April 28.

The ban will be effective from 6:00am on April 25 to 12midnight on May 1, said a circular issued by the ministry.

The decision was made for the sake of law and order ahead of city corporation polls and to prevent misuse of licensed arms across the country, the circular added.

The members of law enforcement agencies and the security forces of different government, semi-government and non-government offices, and those of banks and financial institutions are exempted from the order, the circular mentioned.