Dhaka, September 04- In a significant move to restore law and order in the region of Eri, the Armed Forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Ansar members launched a joint operation on Wednesday. The operation aims to suppress ongoing anarchy, recover looted weapons, and restore stability in the area.

This crackdown follows the aftermath of the fall of the Hasina government on 5 August, which was triggered by a massive student movement. The chaos that ensued led to widespread attacks on police stations, outposts, prisons, and other government establishments, resulting in the looting of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition. 

According to the police headquarters, a total of 5,829 firearms and 606,742 rounds of ammunition were looted during these raids. The stolen arsenal includes a variety of firearms, such as Chinese rifles, submachine guns (SMGs), pistols, shotguns, tear gas launchers, and signal pistols. Additionally, a significant quantity of non-lethal weapons, including 31,044 rounds of tear gas shells and 4,692 sound grenades, were taken.

Despite repeated calls from the government for the voluntary surrender of these looted weapons, more than 2,000 firearms and over 320,000 rounds of ammunition remain unaccounted for. The deadline for surrendering the weapons, set by the police headquarters and the home ministry, passed on Tuesday without full compliance.

To date, authorities have managed to recover 3,763 firearms, 386,082 rounds of ammunition, 22,201 tear gas shells, and 2,139 sound grenades. However, the vast number of unrecovered weapons poses a significant threat to public safety and security.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Headquarters, Rezaul Karim, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "During the joint operation, we will not only focus on recovering looted weapons but also target illegal firearms that have contributed to the ongoing instability."

The joint operation marks a critical effort by the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus to regain control and ensure the safety of citizens amidst a volatile and dangerous environment. As the operation progresses, the authorities are expected to intensify their efforts to locate and neutralize any remaining threats posed by the unaccounted-for weapons.