In this briefing Omega examines the procurement and use of law enforcement weapons and equipment in Bangladesh before and after the July 2024 uprising. We investigate whether the fall of the Awami League government has marked a genuine break with the abusive policing practices of the past.
Drawing on human rights reporting, open-source evidence, commercial trade data, and government procurement records, Omega documents how police weapons and equipment were used to commit torture and other ill-treatment under the Awami League. We then analyse post-uprising procurement and use patterns to identify what equipment remains available, and what types of equipment have been newly acquired.
Omega finds that while there have been many recent public commitments to accountability and security-sector reform, serious questions remain about transparency and oversight of police procurement of weapons A particular concern is the continued availability of certain weapons and equipment, such as metal pellets, which are unsuitable for use by law enforcement and pose an ongoing risk of serious injury or death, and which should be prohibited.
