Rising proliferation of illegal firearms fuels killings, crime across Bangladesh

Dhaka, Sep 3 (IANS) Bangladesh is witnessing a growing use of illegal firearms in killings, political clashes, drug-related disputes and territorial battles, while 1,311 weapons looted from police facilities during the August 2024 unrest remain unaccounted for more than two years later, local media reported on Thursday.

Citing police records, leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune reported that at least 123 shooting incidents were recorded across the country in the first seven months of this year, resulting in more than 50 deaths.

The proliferation of firearms is raising growing concern over public safety amid increasing use and display of weapons in political confrontations and criminal disputes.

The growing threat was evident again Tuesday when two youths openly brandished guns during a clash between rival groups in the Sitakunda region of Chittagong district during the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) 48th founding anniversary.

Bangladeshi Police on the same day discovered an illegal arms factory operating under the guise of a CNG autorickshaw repair workshop in the Hathazari area of Chittagong.

In a separate incident in Dhaka, three people sustained injuries after gunmen opened indiscriminate fire during a clash in Gandaria’s Swamibagh Munsirtek area over drug-trade control and the arrest of alleged dealers.

The incidents come against the backdrop of a series of firearm-related killings, further highlighting concerns over the proliferation of illegal weapons.

The situation is compounded by the continued circulation of guns looted from police stations and other law-enforcement facilities during the August 2024 upheaval.

According to Police data, 1,311 weapons looted during the unrest have yet to be recovered. These included 109 Chinese rifles and 30 submachine guns. Additionally, around 257,125 rounds of ammunition remain missing.

Citing law enforcement sources, The Dhaka Tribune reported that criminal groups are in possession of modern illegal firearms along with the looted weapons.

Police sources further said that several listed criminals who were granted bail have resumed extortion, land grabbing and violent competition to expand their influence.

The rising murder figures underscored the pressure on law enforcement agencies, with Police Headquarters recording 934 murder cases between May and July, an average exceeding 300 cases a month, or over 10 each day.

According to Touhidul Haque, associate professor at Dhaka University’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research, recent incidents reflect growing availability of illegal firearms and their increasing use.

He cited public displays of weapons, arms recoveries in Chittagong, repeated killings and the deaths of listed criminals as evidence of a widening illicit firearms network.

“At this moment, terrorist groups are keeping arms to carry out their misdeeds,” Haque told The Dhaka Tribune.

Emphasising that the continued circulation of weapons outside state control is fuelling public anxiety, he called on the authorities to strengthen surveillance along arms-smuggling routes while accelerating efforts to recover weapons looted in 2024.

— IANS

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