A total of twenty-five people were arrested with arms and ammunition during the nationwide joint forces' drive till Saturday (September 7).
During this time, law enforcers also recovered 53 various types of firearms from their possession since September 4.
The government has conducted a joint operation across the country from September 4 for recovering the firearms and ammunition not deposited in the police station under suspended license and arms looted in recent times from police stations, police lines, police outposts and other places.
Earlier on August 25, the Home Ministry suspended firearms licenses given to civilians over the past 15 years during the tenure of the Awami League government. Later on September 1, the public security divisions of the Home Ministry issued a circular and ordered a joint operation consisting of members of the armed forces, BGB, Coast Guard, Police, RAB, Ansar to recover illegal firearms, looted firearms and the legal firearms not deposited.
Sources at the police headquarters said during the countrywide joint operation, 53 different types of firearms were recovered till 6:00 am on September 7.
The recovered firearms included four revolvers, 18 pistols, two rifles, 11 shotguns, one pipe gun, six shooter guns, three LGs, three guns, one AK-47, one gas gun, one Chinese rifle, one air gun and three smooth bore, or SBBLs.
A total of 3,933 weapons out of 5,818, which were looted countrywide, have been recovered as of September 5, according to the data of police headquarters.
It said that following the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in the face of student-public upsurge, different police stations and units were attacked and set on fire and firearms and ammunition were looted.
The joint forces have been conducting operations against the looted and illegal firearms since September 4. The final date to surrender weapons and ammunition was September 3.
The police headquarters data said that a total of 1,885 weapons, including rifles, SMGs, LMGs, and pistols, are yet to be recovered. Besides, nearly 3 lakh looted ammunition have yet to be recovered.
Meanwhile, the joint operation involves the Bangladesh Army, Police, Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Forces, Coast Guard, and Rapid Action Battalion.
Chinese Rifles-- 839 recovered while 296 are yet to be recovered; Bangladeshi Rifles-nine recovered, one yet to be recovered; SMGs-- 191 recovered, 60 yet to be recovered; LMGs-- 21 recovered, 11 yet to be recovered; Pistols-- 731 recovered, 825 yet to be recovered, 9x19mm SMG/SMT -- 32 recovered, one yet to be recovered. Shotguns -- 1,624 recovered, 67 yet to be recovered, Gas Guns -- 476 recovered, 117 yet to be recovered, Tear Gas Launchers (Six Shot) - nine recovered, five yet to be recovered, Signal Pistols --1 recovered, 2 yet to be recovered.
Different Caliber Bullets -- 3,12,857 recovered while 2,94,405 yet to be recovered; Tear Gas shells -- 23,194 recovered and 8,811 yet to be recovered; Tear Gas Grenades-- 704 recovered while 751 yet to be recovered; Sound Grenades -- 2,128 recovered and 2,564 yet to be recovered; Colour Smoke Grenades -- 213 recovered and 78 yet to be recovered.
Multiple Bang Stun Grenades -- 18 recovered, 37 yet to be recovered; Flash Bang Grenades -- 533 recovered and 360 yet to be recovered, Handheld Tear Gas Sprays (Canisters) -- 94 were recovered, 83 yet to be recovered.
