Most of the people carrying illegal firearms remain out of reach

Most of the people who carried illegal firearms to stop the movement of students and people in July-August last year remain out of reach. Although the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the police arrested some 10 people in connection with those incidents, they could not retrieve any of the arms used during the movement as yet.

The police say all those who carried firearms during the student movement are activists of Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League. The arms they carried include pistols, shotguns and sawed-off guns. The police are working to prepare a list of the total number of people who used firearms to quell the movement.

Chittagong University student Hridoy Chandra Tarua was shot dead in the city’s Muradpur area on 18 July 2024.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, his brother-in-law Deepak Mistri said, “Almost all the people of the country saw who carried the arms. However, the police are not arresting them. We demand justice.”

There were several reports of students clashing with the police and the activists of Jubo League and Chhatra League on 16 and 18 July and 4 August.

At least 10 people were reported dead in those clashes and more than 500 were injured. Some 82 cases have been filed over these incidents. Former lawmakers MA Latif, Fazle Karim Chowdhury and Abu Reza Nadvi were arrested under these cases.

Videos and photos of these incidents show former deputy finance secretary of Jubo League’s central executive council Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar was carrying arms in the city’s Muradpur area on 16 July. He was known to be a close associate of former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury.

Listed terrorist Md Firoz, who claimed to be a Jubo League leader, was carrying a sawed-off gun. He would introduce himself as an associate of Chattogram city Awami League general secretary AJM Nasir Uddin.

However, he does not hold any post.

Chattogram city Swechchhasebak League organiser Md Delwar was seen carrying a shotgun. He is a supporter of Helal Akbar.

Jubo League activists NH Mithu and Md Jafar were seen carrying pistols on the day. They both are known to be followers of Chattogram city unit general secretary Nurul Azim Rony, who is a follower of former education minister Mohibul Hassan.

Among these people, only Firoz was arrested by the RAB on 24 October last year. The rest are still absconding.

Chandgaon Swechchhasebak League’s dissolved unit president Mohiuddin Farhad and Jubo League activists Md Jalal alias Drill Jalal and Md Mizan were seen carrying pistols on 18 July while Jubo League activist Md Towhid was carrying a shotgun on that day.

Witnesses say all of them are followers of a former Awami League councilor from the ward no. 4 Md Esral. RAB arrested Mizan on 17 September and Towhidul on 23 November. However, the police could not trace the others.

Illegal arms were used the most in the New Market area of the city during the clash between Chhatra League, Jubo League and the protesting students on 4 August.

Analysing the video footage, at least 10 people were identified who were carrying arms in the New Market and Askar Dighir Par areas under the Kotwali police station on that day.

Video footage shows a man wearing a helmet opening fire from a revolver from the back side of the office of the Narcotics Department at around 11:30 am. A man beside him was seen hurling a crude bomb. Locals identified him as a BCL leader from the City College.

At the same time, a man wearing a helmet and carrying a shotgun and another man carrying a pistol were seen opening fire. Another youth was seen shooting towards the students while chasing them around 12:00 pm on the day.

Former councilor Shaibal Das led Awami League activists in chasing the protesting students. A man was seen carrying a shotgun beside him. A video footage shows the councilor directing that man with the shotgun to go ahead. Several gunshots were heard after that.

The man carrying the shotgun has been identified as Farhadul Islam Chowdhury alias Rintu. He is the deputy social welfare secretary of BCL central executive council. Another man beside him was seen tucking his gun inside his pants. However, his identities could not be confirmed.

Speaking regarding this, Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) deputy commissioner (media) Md Rais Uddin said, “The law enforcement agencies have already arrested some 10 persons on the allegation of carrying arms during the protest. Drives are on to detain the rest.”

Stating that the police could not confirm yet the total number of people who carried arms during the student movement, he added, “We are working on that by analysing video footage of these incidents.”

Commenting on the situation, Akhter Kabir Chowdhury, general secretary of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik in Chattogram said that not being able to arrest the people who carried arms openly and retrieve the illegal arms used for killing people is a great failure of the law enforcement agencies.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said these sorts of incidents will be more recurrent if the people carrying arms remain out of reach. People will feel unsafe, he added.

* This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu