Stolen firearms could pose a threat to national security
The looting of firearms from at least 22 police stations in Dhaka—a number that may increase as assessments continue—is deeply concerning. Following Sheikh Hasina's resignation, many police stations across the country were attacked by mobs aggrieved by the actions of police personnel during the student protests that led to her downfall. Beside the damage caused to police stations in the process, the extent of the looted weaponry also remains unclear. We hope the new IGP will soon provide a detailed account of the number of weapons stolen and the measures being taken to recover them.
In Cumilla, we are told that police have recovered 28 firearms and 667 rounds of ammunition. We hope that more missing firearms will be recovered in the near future. It has become evident from the incidence of looting weapons that certain factions are attempting to undermine the nation's stability, and the risk of criminal and political elements exploiting the situation remains a major concern. Given the country's volatile state at present, the possibility of these weapons falling into the wrong hands is extremely troubling. We urge law enforcement agencies to focus their attention on recovering these firearms as quickly as possible—before they can be used to cause further harm to people or property.
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The dangers of these firearms remaining untraced are multifaceted. During the quota reform movement, as well as on multiple occasions before, we have often seen individuals connected with power using firearms—sometimes even legally acquired ones—in broad daylight. With an unknown number of weapons missing from the police arsenal, a new law and order crisis could be created by saboteurs.
With the vast majority of police stations in the country now operating again, even if partially, law enforcers need to take fresh initiatives to account for all the legal and illegal firearms in circulation. We urge the new IGP to take strong and comprehensive steps in this regard. Additionally, the entire process of licensing possession of weapons should be reviewed, and the supply and procurement of illegal weapons must be completely halted. This may prove to be a tall task given the circumstances, but it is one that our security forces must undertake urgently.
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