All legal firearms and ammunition issued in the last 15 years will be considered illegal if the license bearer does not submit them to the nearby police station by Tuesday (September 3).

The government has decided to conduct a joint operation, comprising the armed forces, BGB, Coast Guard, Police, Rab, and Ansar, across the country from Wednesday (4 September) to recover the illegal firearms, including those which license has been suspended.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular in this regard today.

Adviser to the Home Affairs Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in a press statement said, "Law enforcers will have to identify themselves during the drive and while making an arrest. Under no circumstances can anyone be arrested without showing their identity."

The home ministry instructed all the district magistrates to hold a core committee meeting on September 2 with the superintendent of police, representatives of the armed forces, and other members including intelligence agencies, reads the circular.

The meeting will review the list of suspended licenses.

The ministry earlier on August 25, suspended firearms licenses given to civilians over the past 15 years – from January 6, 2009 to August 5, 2024 -- issued during the tenure of the Awami League government.

The ministry today instructed the authorities concerned to inform the arms license holders through SMS for submission of their firearms, and ammunition to the nearby police stations.

Md Kamrul Ahsan, additional deputy inspector general (confidential) of the police headquarters, told The Daily Star today, "The licensed firearms which won't be submitted to the police stations within September 3, will be treated as illegal arms."

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Return looted weapons, ammunition by Tuesday: Police HQ

He urged the licensed firearms owners to submit the firearms to police stations within the given timeframe to avoid legal actions.

According to the database of police's special branch (SB), there are around 50,310 licensed arms holders in the country. However, the officials are yet to get the actual figure of how many legal arms were issued during the tenure of the Awami League-led government.

A high official of the SB, requesting anonymity, told this newspaper, "We are working to update the database, and hopeful to complete the work within a day or two."

The PHQ yesterday issued directive announcing that all arms and ammunition looted from police stations during the recent violence must be returned by September 3.

Regarding this, Kamrul Ahsan, the additional DIG of PHQ said, "We are giving priority in recovering the firearms, looted from different police stations and establishments."

As of yesterday, a total of 3,880 weapons of various types, looted from police stations and offices during the recent unrest, have been recovered. In addition, law enforcement authorities have recovered 286,353 rounds of bullets, 22,201 teargas shells, and 2,139 stun grenades.

The recent mass protests saw widespread attacks and looting of police stations across the country after law enforcers opened fire indiscriminately on protesters, resulting in numerous fatalities.

Over 550 people, including many students, were killed during the protests, which ultimately led to the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The violence also claimed the lives of at least 43 police officers.