Home Minister Orders Scrutiny of Weapon Licenses Issued During Awami League Tenure

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with District Commissioners (DCs) at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, the Minister clarified that licenses issued under partisan influence between January 2009 and August 5, 2024, will be subject to this rigorous review. While the Minister instructed DCs to facilitate the return of legally licensed weapons that were surrendered during the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, he also revealed a concerning gap in compliance. Despite strict government orders to surrender arms before the elections, approximately 10,000 licensed weapons remain unrecovered.

Taking this non-compliance seriously, the Home Minister has ordered the immediate filing of cases against individuals who failed to surrender their weapons within the stipulated timeframe. Field-level officials have been directed to launch a special operation to recover these 10,000 missing arms to prevent the proliferation of illegal weaponry and ensure public safety. This initiative signals a broader effort to cancel licenses for weapons that were obtained through political leverage and could potentially be misused. By tightening the oversight of firearms, the government aims to restore legal integrity and minimize the risk of armed violence in the political landscape.