A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking the suspension of the upcoming national election until the country’s security situation improves and weapons looted during the 2024 mass uprising are fully recovered.
The petition was filed on Wednesday by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan, naming the cabinet secretary, the home secretary, the law secretary, the Election Commission secretary, the inspector general of police (IGP), and the RAB director general as respondents.
According to the writ, media reports indicate that 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations and law enforcement offices across the country during the 2024 uprising. Despite government incentives for recovery, a significant portion of the weapons remains missing.
The petition argues that the presence of these illegal arms poses a serious threat to voters and candidates ahead of the election. It cites the killing of Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Sharif Osman Hadi in a shooting as evidence of the risks.
The lawyer further said that while some candidates have been provided with armed protection, no effective measures have been taken to ensure the safety of ordinary voters. Holding the election without recovering the looted arms, the petition claims, would violate voters’ and candidates’ fundamental right to life under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The writ seeks a court directive to postpone the election until all looted firearms and ammunition are recovered and a secure environment for voting is ensured.
