The High Court has issued a rule seeking an explanation as to why effective measures should not be taken to recover the vast quantity of firearms and ammunition looted from various police stations and law enforcement offices across the country during the July mass uprising.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Rajik-Al-Jalil and Justice Md Anwarul Islam passed the order following a hearing on a writ petition filed in the public interest.
The court directed the cabinet secretary, home secretary, law secretary, Election Commission secretary, the inspector general of police (IGP), and the director general of RAB to respond to the rule.
Supreme Court lawyer Mahmudul Hasan, the petitioner, told journalists of the order on Thursday, noting that he had received the certified copy of the ruling that day. He had initially filed the writ on 14 January.
According to the petition, media reports suggest that 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from law enforcement agencies during the 2024 uprising. The petitioner expressed grave concern that despite the government announcing rewards for the recovery of these weapons, a significant portion remains missing.
Hasan argued that while the government arranged for gunmen to protect certain parliamentary candidates, no such effective safety measures were implemented for the general electorate.
He further contended that holding elections without recovering these lethal weapons would constitute a severe violation of the fundamental “right to life” of voters and candidates, as guaranteed under Article 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh.
The legal action followed a formal notice sent by the lawyer to the relevant authorities via registered post and email on 14 December.
The writ was moved after the government failed to take necessary steps within the seven-day period stipulated in the notice. Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azmi represented the state during the proceedings.
