Scores of looted, non-licenced arms surrendered in Jashore as deadline ends

Scores of looted and non-licenced arms were surrendered in the eight police stations of Jashore today (3 September) on the last date of submission. 

The government has declared strict legal action if the arms are not deposited in the respective police stations within the day. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended the licence of firearms issued during the Awami League regime from 6 January 2009 to 5 August 2024. Joint operation to recover illegal weapons is starting tomorrow.

According to the district administration, there are 1,138 licence holders of shotguns, pistols and revolvers in the district. But the district administration could not tell how many of them had submitted their weapons till 9pm today.

Jashore Additional District Magistrate Kamlesh Majumder said, “Those who do not submit by today will have their firearms considered illegal. But the total number of weapons deposited in the district so far was not listed.”

On condition of anonymity, one of those who submitted weapons said, “For our own security, we legally bought weapons and took licence. Now I have come to surrender my arms according to the decision taken by the government. Later, I will take the arms licence again.”

Another person said, “I have come to deposit the weapons of my elder brother. He was a follower of a political party and a public representative. Now he is out of the country. Welcoming the government’s decision, I have come to surrender the arms.”

Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdur Razzak said, “Kotwali Police Station has 135 licence holders. Some of them are military personnel but most are politicians and businessmen. A total of 94 arms have already been submitted here.”