2 arrested with firearms in Supreme Court premises

Two individuals, including a senior BNP leader, were arrested with licensed firearms inside the Supreme Court premises on Sunday (August 3), prompting concern over security protocols in the high-security zone.

The Special Branch (SB) of police detained Md Ziauddin Sikder, member secretary of BNP’s Barishal Metropolitan unit, and Molla Mosleh Elahi, 57, a printing business owner from Sutrapur, for carrying licensed weapons into the court area — a zone where all types of weapons, legal or illegal, are strictly prohibited.

Supreme Court administration sources confirmed that the two men were arrested in separate incidents. Molla Mosleh Elahi was detained around 10.00am and later released on bail by the Supreme Court unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He claimed he had come to the court regarding the bail hearing of a relative.

Md Ziauddin Sikder was arrested at noon after arriving at the court reportedly to meet a bench officer. He had come to Dhaka in connection with a Chhatra Dal rally. After initial questioning, he was handed over to Shahbagh Police Station for further investigation.

Both individuals admitted they were unaware of the restriction on carrying weapons—licensed or otherwise—within the Supreme Court area, Police said.