Police launch local arms recovery campaign in Faridpur amid skepticism over low turnout
Photo Collected
Police in the Saltha sub-district of Faridpur have launched a disarmament initiative aimed at curbing recurring violence in the region’s most volatile areas. Under the guidance of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, authorities began the campaign on Wednesday by collecting traditional weapons, including shields and spears, from residents in the Gotti, Majhardia, and Sonapur unions.
The operation commenced Wednesday afternoon at the Majhardia Union Parishad complex, where local law enforcement officers accepted weapons from villagers in a symbolic gesture of peace. In an effort to foster community cooperation, police presented each resident who turned in a weapon with a tuberose flower. During this initial phase, 23 residents from the villages of Majhardia, Khilishputti, and Muratiya surrendered a combined total of 23 weapons, consisting of 10 shields and 13 spears.
Despite the ceremonial start, both local residents and law enforcement officials acknowledged that the number of weapons surrendered represents only a fraction of the total cache hidden throughout the region. Several locals suggested that the minimal turnout was a superficial response to the administration’s directive, noting that thousands of similar weapons remain stockpiled within these three villages alone.
Saltha Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Bablur Rahman confirmed the low participation, conceding that the weapons collected are negligible compared to the true volume of arms held in the area. However, he emphasized that the initiative is intended to serve as a starting point. According to the department, the campaign will now expand to the conflict-prone unions of Sonapur and Gotti in the coming days as part of a broader strategy to restore stability to the sub-district.
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