Omega Research Foundation has published a new briefing, Continuity or Change? An analysis of the procurement and use of law enforcement equipment in Bangladesh before and after the July 2024 uprising.
The briefing draws on human rights reporting, police tender records, commercial trade data, media reports, and other open-source evidence to assess whether there has been a meaningful change in patterns of police weapons procurement and use since the July 2024 uprising and the fall of the Awami League government.
The briefing examines evidence of torture and other ill-treatment in detention under the Awami League government, as well as the devastating impact of excessive force used against protesters during the uprising. As many as 1,400 people were reportedly killed, many of them as a result of the use of lethal ammunition.
Our research identifies some evidence of changes to policing policy and practice since the uprising, including a significant reduction in both the reported use and procurement of shotgun ammunition containing metal pellets. This ammunition was widely used during the July 2024 crackdown and was associated with numerous deaths and serious injuries, including permanent blindings.
However, serious concerns remain. In the briefing we find that large pre-existing stockpiles of weapons and ammunition may still be available for use by police, while recent protest monitoring has indicating the continued reliance on coercive means of dispersal, including the use of stun grenades, tear gas, and baton charges. Omega has also identified evidence of the recent acquisition of equipment of serious concern, including rubber bursting grenades, kinetic impact ammunition containing multiple projectiles, and electric stun batons.
Omega calls on the Government of Bangladesh to prohibit the use of shotgun ammunition containing metal pellets in public order policing, identify and destroy any remaining stockpiles, suspend the procurement of inherently abusive weapons and equipment, and introduce stronger transparency, due diligence, and oversight across all law enforcement procurement.
Read the briefing here.