United News of Bangladesh

As the country gears up for the national election, Narsingdi is witnessing a surge in the use of illegal firearms, raising serious concerns about public safety and the polls environment. In char areas of the district where fights once meant sticks and locally-made weapons, gunfights have now become common. Locals said criminal gangs armed with looted and smuggled weapons are locked in violent conflicts over political dominance, extortion, drugs and the illegal sand trade. A series of murders and clashes over the past year has deepened public fear and shaken confidence in law enforcement’s ability to keep the peace, police said. Of particular concern is the cache looted from Narsingdi District Jail during July 19, 2024 unrest when the prison was attacked, set ablaze and vandalised. All 826 inmates fled during the chaos and 85 firearms along with 8,015 rounds of ammunition were stolen. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra Sarker said over the past one and a half years, 58 of those weapons have been recovered but 27 firearms and 6,336 rounds of ammunition are still missing. The unrecovered cache includes China and BD rifles as well as bore shotguns now believed to be circulating in the district’s criminal underworld, he said. “These weapons are being used in political rivalries, extortion, drug trafficking and control over illegal sand business,” said another senior police officer requesting anonymity. “We have stepped up intelligence operations, but the network behind the arms trade is complex and well-organised,” he added. Police said in the last year alone, they recovered 42 firearms and 200 rounds of ammunition in different raids, filed 27 regular cases and arrested 56 people. The dangers rose further last December when Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, was shot dead in the capital’s Paltan area. Police later said the weapon used in the killing was recovered from Narsingdi town. Over the past year, the district recorded 94 murders, 17 robberies, 184 thefts, 85 rape or gang rape cases and 43 incidents of mugging, according to police record. Although 94 murder cases were filed most of the accused remain at large. The residents of Banshgari and Saidabad villages in Raipura upazila said armed criminals move around openly, spreading fear. Two retired army sergeants are alleged to be training local gangs in firearms use. Both are named in multiple cases, including murder. “People here live in constant fear. We see men with guns walking in the open. No one dares to protest” said a shopkeeper in Banshgari. Following a recent visit by the Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam, special drives were ordered in the char areas. In two such drives, law enforcers recovered several illegal weapons and arrested a number of suspects, said Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra. Many believe policing efforts have been hampered by instability in leadership. Three superintendents of police were transferred in the past five months, causing what locals describe as a temporary disruption in law enforcement activities. One killed, 10 injured in clash over supremacy in Narsingdi Since taking charge, new superintendent of police Md Abdullah Al-Faruk has launched special drives against illegal arms and drugs. “The election will only be credible if people feel safe to go to the polling centres,” said a local rights activist. “Recovering every single looted weapon must be the top priority. Otherwise, fear will rule the ballot,” he added.