Bangladesh Government Issues Final Warning: Surrender Illegal Firearms By August 19 Or...

The Bangladesh interim government has issued a stern warning to protesters, demanding the return of all illegal and unauthorized firearms by August 19.

This includes rifles looted from law enforcement during the recent violent protests. Failure to comply will result in severe consequences, according to a report by *The Daily Star*.

Bangladesh Government Final Warning

Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain delivered this ultimatum on Monday, urging those in possession of such weapons to surrender them at nearby police stations. He emphasized that if the arms are not returned by the deadline, authorities will launch search operations, and anyone found with unauthorized firearms will face legal action.

Hussain made these remarks at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka, where he visited injured members of the paramilitary Bangladesh Ansar, who were hurt during the mass protests. The country has been in turmoil since last week when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India amid deadly protests against her government over a controversial job quota system.

The violence has resulted in the deaths of around 500 people, including students, and left several thousand injured. Hussain highlighted a video showing a youth taking away a 7.62 mm rifle, which has yet to be returned. He urged those who may be afraid to surrender the weapons themselves to find a way to return them through others, as reported by Firstpost.

The adviser also noted that an investigation is underway to identify the civilian youth who was seen firing at Ansar members. However, he softened his previous stance on shutting down media outlets, clarifying that his comments were made in anger and that he does not support such actions, as per media reports.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, took office last Thursday after Hasina's departure. A 16-member council of advisers has been appointed to assist Yunus in managing the country's affairs during this challenging period.