Pistol, bullets looted during July uprising found in Narayanganj mosque

Police have recovered a pistol, two magazines and 20 rounds of bullets, looted from a police station during the July uprising, from a shelf on the second floor of a mosque in Araihazar, Narayanganj.

The weapons and bullets were recovered from the Araihazar Bazar Central Jame Mosque around noon on Saturday. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) of Narayanganj district Tarek Al Mehedi confirmed the matter.

Police officer Tarek Al Mehedi said the mosque's imam found a 9mm pistol, two magazines and 20 rounds of bullets lying on a shelf on the second floor of the mosque. He later informed the police. Police went there, recovered the weapons and bullets and took them to the police station. After verification, it was confirmed that these were part of the weapons and bullets looted from Araihazar Police Station during the 2024 mass uprising.

Police believe someone may have left the weapons and bullets at the mosque during Friday's Jummah prayers. However, it has not yet been confirmed who left them there. As there are no CCTV cameras at the mosque, identifying the person has also become difficult. The police officer said an investigation is underway into the incident.

Imam of Araihazar Bazar Central Jame Mosque, Md Nasir Uddin, said that after Maghrib prayers on Friday, a local youth informed him that a pistol and bullets were seen on the shelf where the Holy Quran is kept on the second floor of the mosque. He later went there and saw them. He went to the police station that night to report the matter but returned after not finding the officer-in-charge. Police came on Saturday noon and took away the pistol, magazines and bullets.

The imam further said that previously, many people had brought weapons, bullets and handcuffs looted during the uprising and deposited them at the mosque. Those were later handed over to the army and police.

Police said that after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, following the uprising, Araihazar Police Station was attacked and looted that afternoon. A large quantity of weapons and bullets were looted from the police station at that time.