The police may stop using lethal weapons and lead pellets for crowd control as their widespread use during the July mass uprising led to massive casualties and global criticism.

The process is underway to make time-befitting regulations on the use of firearms, said Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media) at the Police Headquarters.

The Police Headquarters has already formed a committee, led by a deputy inspector general, to recommend non-lethal methods for controlling crowds and unlawful assemblies.

“We have been discussing banning the use of long barrel firearms even in case of rowdy protests,” said an additional inspector general seeking anonymity.

Police will use small arms like in developed countries in extreme cases of necessity in line with the UN guidelines to which Bangladesh is a signatory, he added.

The committee’s recommendations will be given to the IGP for review and then to the ministry for finalisation, said a committee member.

Around 1,500 people lost their lives during the July uprising, while 19,931 others got injured, said Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus while addressing the nation on the completion of 100 days of the interim government on November 17.

Members of the police, Rab, Border Guard Bangladesh and other forces fired on the protesters during demonstrations that began on July 14. Many victims suffered permanent disabilities, with more than 400 losing eyesight due to lead pellet injuries.

Analysed the pattern of injuries of 204 people who died as of August 1 and found that almost 95 percent of them were killed by bullets, including live rounds and shotgun pellets.

Of them, 113 were shot in the head, chest, stomach and abdomen.

Lawyers for Energy, Environment and Development analysed 100 cases filed with 22 police stations in Dhaka and Chattogram.

The analysis showed that lethal weapons like 7.62mm semi-automatic rifles, submachine guns, BD08 assault rifles, Taurus 9mm revolvers and Type 54 pistols had been used.

The law enforcement agencies gave priority to using lethal weapons over other methods of riot control, the analysis showed.

During the 1971 Liberation War, the police put up resistance against the Pakistan Army at Rajarbagh Police Lines with .303 rifles.

Those rifles have become outdated, and police have periodically modernised their arsenal, introducing advanced lethal weapons like 7.62mm sniper firearms, LMG (Light Machine Gun) and SMG (Submachine Gun) along with Chinese rifles.

In October 2014, a meeting involving various stakeholders, including representatives from the home ministry and Police Headquarters, was held to discuss the procurement of lethal firearms including 7.62mm rifles.

Senior officials then justified the procurement saying such weapons were necessary for combating criminals equipped with sophisticated firearms, especially in the diverse geographical landscapes of Bangladesh’s hilly and plain regions and dreaded militants.

However, during the recent protests, police and other forces used these military-grade weapons widely against unarmed demonstrators.

“Police actions deviated from the existing domestic laws, which themselves fall short of UN standards,” said a committee member, criticising the continued reliance on colonial-era legislation designed to suppress dissent.

The UN guidelines on the use of force by law enforcement state that public assemblies may be deemed unlawful under domestic laws for various reasons, such as failing to meet procedural requirements or violating restrictions.

However, many such reasons, like procedural noncompliance, do not render an assembly unlawful under international human rights law.

“…In any case, the mere fact that an assembly is considered unlawful under domestic legislation does not justify the use of force by law enforcement officials,” reads the guidelines.

The committee will also recommend what extent of force can be used when and in what situation.

Before using any force to disperse unlawful assembly, police have to take into consideration the reasons for the assembly and take peaceful means to settle their problems, the official said.

PROCUREMENT AND USE OF ADVANCED WEAPONRY

A number of police officers said the force has had SMG and LMG for many years and those assault rifles were to guard police stations in war-like situations or any other emergency.

However, the use of weapons in crowd control began on a limited scale in 2012 and 2013 and it continued to increase during Awami League’s rule as people became hostile to the government and police for issues like holding farcical elections and taking hardline on political opponents, they added.