Despite using non-lethal weapons during operations in July and August last year, the police faced intense criticism over the use of firearms. In response, the Yunus government has now decided to withdraw lethal weapons from the regular police force, raising concerns as armed teenage gangs continue to grow in influence following the protests on August 5.
At a press briefing on May 12 (Monday), following a meeting of the Law and Order Advisory Committee at the Secretariat, Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated, “We have decided that regular police officers will no longer carry lethal weapons. These weapons must be surrendered and will be held by members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn).”
Although he did not initially clarify what would be classified as “lethal weapons,” he later added, “It’s not that police won’t have rifles at all — they will, but only in specific cases.”
He emphasized, “For regular operations, police don’t need lethal weapons. The APBn, which is part of the police, will retain those.”
The implementation process will take time, and a committee led by Chief Home Affairs Adviser Khoda Bakhsh Chowdhury has been formed to oversee the withdrawal of lethal arms from police forces.
Meanwhile, the growing threat of armed teenage gangs continues to alarm citizens. Violent incidents, including murder over trivial matters, are being reported daily. Critics argue that while police are being disarmed, there is little visible effort to curb the rise of these gangs — raising concerns that the move may inadvertently embolden them.