At least 40 armed leaders and activists of the fascist Awami League (AL) and its associate organisations were spotted brandishing weapons and opening fire in broad daylight in the port city Chattogram during the July-August uprising.

However, since the ouster of the AL government, law enforcement has managed to arrest only six individuals involved.

Moreover, none of the firearm used by the armed cadres has been recovered till now, thanks to apparent inaction of the law enforcers.

Criminology experts expressed concern, stating that the failure to recover the firearms poses a risk to the state. They warn that these weapons could change hands and destabilise society in the future.

According to sources, the armed cadres used at least eight types of weapons, including AK-47-like automatic rifles, during the violence.

However, since 4 September, law enforcement agencies launched a nationwide special operation to recover weapons, mainly those looted from the police station on 5 August.

Mentionable, during the quota reform movement, the armed attackers carried out barbaric attacks on protestors between 16 July to 4 August, resulting in 10 deaths and injury to at least nine hundred in Chattogram. Of them, several hundred sustained bullets.

Sources in the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)-7 in Chattogram said they could reveal identities of some 20 armed criminals spotted in Chattogram city, and only six of them, with latest one on Friday last, have been arrested without the firearm used during the attacks.

The whereabouts of the rest armed cadres remain unknown, they said.

Mentionable, during the movement since 16 July, different areas of Chattogram including Bahoddarhat, Muradpur, New Market, Tin Poler Matha, Wasa Intersection, Anayet Bazar and Railway Station turned into battlegrounds due to sporadic clashes.

Armed leaders and activists of Awami League, Juba League, Chhatra League and their associate organisations attacked the protesters with firearms, causing huge casualties.

Shotgun, Shutter-gun, foreign pistol, light gun, and AK-47-like rifles were toted and used by them at that time, said the law enforcers.

The cadres who were spotted carrying firearms and using them during the student demonstration include North Agrabad Ward AL General Secretary Akbar Ali, Banshkhali upazila AL leader Mizan Sikdar, and activist Jalal, Juba League leaders and activists Shahidul Islam Shamim, Thouhidul Islam, Solaiman Badsha, NH Mithu, Md Firoz, Zafar, Tutul Nandan, and Mizan, Chhatra City College Joint Convener Hossain Abhi, leader Mohammad Faisal, Md Tahsin, Habibur Rahman Hridoy, Swechchhasebok League leader Md Delwar, Mohiuddin Farhad and Towhid.

Of them, Juba League men Md Firoz, Solaiman Badsha, Mizan, Mohammad Faisal and Touhidul Islam, and BCL man Habibur Rahman Hridoy have been arrested till Friday. 

Of the six, two were arrested by the police and four others by the Rab.

CMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-Media) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz told Daily Sun, “After analysing photographs and video footages published, aired and spread in mass-media and social media, we have identified 20 individuals who were carrying firearms and opened fire.”

CMP Deputy Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Rois Uddin termed the current situation as transition period and said instability still persists in police forces.

“However, we have intensified the intelligence activities to trace out the criminals,” he added.

Rab-7 Senior Assistant Director (Media) Md Sharif-ul-Alam said, "We have identified many of the armed individuals and already arrested four of them.”

When drew attention regarding the matter at a programme in Chattogram,  Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, "Many individuals are being arrested, but not everything is made public. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to arrest the armed criminals as quickly as possible."

Chittagong University Criminology and Police Science department Chairman Md Shakhawat Hossain said remaining firearm in the hands of criminals poses risk for the state.

“If the criminals remain traceless, it will create a sense of insecurity, and the firearms may also change hands to create unrest in the society,” said Shakhawat.