Writ filed seeking suspension of national election until looted arms recovered

A writ has been filed with the High Court seeking suspension of the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election until the prevailing state of extreme insecurity ends and the large cache of weapons looted during the 2024 mass uprising is recovered.

The public interest writ was filed on Wednesday, January 14, by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan with the relevant High Court bench. The respondents include the Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary of the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Election Commission Secretary, Inspector General of Police and the Director General of RAB.

According to the writ, media reports indicate that during the 2024 mass uprising, 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations and law enforcement offices across the country. Despite the government announcing rewards for recovery, a significant portion of these weapons remains unrecovered.

The writ states that the presence of such a large number of illegal arms in the hands of criminals poses a grave threat to the lives of voters and candidates in the upcoming election. It cites the killing of Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Sharif Osman Hadi by gunmen as proof that the election could turn bloody if the weapons are not recovered. It also refers to Election Commissioner retired Brigadier General Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah, who has said that recovering illegal arms before the election is crucial.

Lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan said that while the government has arranged gunmen for some candidates, it has taken no effective measures to ensure the safety of ordinary voters. Holding an election without recovering the looted weapons would constitute a gross violation of the fundamental right to life under Article 32 of the Constitution. He said the writ seeks a directive to suspend the election until all looted arms and ammunition are recovered and a safe electoral environment is ensured.