Looted pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition recovered from Quran shelf at Narayanganj mosque

❐ Local Correspondent

A 9mm pistol, two magazines and 20 rounds of bullets were recovered from the second floor of the Araihazar Bazar Mosque in Narayanganj.

Police said the pistol was part of the weapons and ammunition looted from the Araihajar police station by protesters in July-August 2024.

Today, Saturday, September 12, at around 1 pm, the mosque’s muezzin Nasir Uddin found these weapons and bullets abandoned on the shelf where the Quran was kept on the south side of the second floor of the Araihazar Bazar Mosque in Araihazar Municipality. Later, he took the weapons to Araihazar Police Station and handed them over to the police station’s OC Md. Sabzel Hossain.

Sub-Inspector (SI) of Araihazar Police Station Shafiul Islam said that the recovered 9mm pistol has been initially confirmed to be a police weapon looted by protesters from Araihazar Police Station in July-August 2024. Police said that further legal action regarding the recovered weapons and bullets is under process.

Police believe someone left the weapons and bullets in the mosque during Friday prayers. There is no CCTV in the mosque. Police said an investigation is underway to determine who left the weapons and bullets.

Nasir Uddin, Imam of the Central Jama Masjid in Araihazar Bazar, said, “After Friday Maghrib prayers, a local youth told me that he saw a pistol and bullets on the second floor where the Quran was kept. Later, I went there and saw the pistol and bullets. When I went to the police station at night to inform, I returned without finding the OC. This afternoon, the police came and took the bullets, pistol and magazine.

He also said that many people had previously come to the mosque and deposited weapons, bullets, and handcuffs looted during the movement, which were later handed over to the army and police administration.

It is worth noting that on the afternoon of August 5, 2024, anti-government militants and terrorists attacked and looted the Araihajar police station. A large amount of weapons and ammunition were looted at that time.