The government has issued a new policy governing firearm licenses and the deployment of armed guards (retainers) for politically important individuals and candidates participating in the upcoming national election.
The Ministry of Home Affairs published the policy, titled "Policy for Issuing Firearm Licenses and Appointing Retainers to Politically Important Persons and National Parliament Member Candidates–2025," on Monday.
The Ministry stated that the policy was formulated and enacted to ensure public safety, maintain law and order, and prevent election-related violence during the election period by granting firearm licenses and retainer appointments to politically important persons and candidates for the National Parliament.
Key Definitions and Beneficiaries
The policy defines 'Retainer' as an authorized armed individual appointed to ensure the personal security of a politically important person or a candidate.
The policy specifies two categories of beneficiaries:
Politically Important Person:
A current or former high-level political personality formally recognized by the government.
Candidate:
An individual who has submitted a nomination paper to the appropriate authority to contest the Thirteenth National Parliament Election.
Eligibility Criteria for Firearm License
To qualify for a firearm license under this policy, an applicant must:
Be a government-recognized politically important person or have submitted a nomination paper for the Thirteenth National Parliament Election.
Have an existing security risk verified by the appropriate authority (including intelligence agencies, where applicable).
Possess physical and mental fitness.
Have a secure arrangement for storing the weapon.
While other existing firearm license policies and regulations issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs will apply, the provision concerning personal income tax submission will be relaxed for this category of applicants.
License Validity and Renewal
The license granted under this policy will be valid for 15 days following the date of the election results announcement. After this period, the license will be considered automatically cancelled.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs may convert this temporary license into a general license if the applicant fulfills all other conditions of the standard firearm license policy.
Strict punitive measures will be taken under conventional law against any licensee who retains the firearm after the license expires or is cancelled.
Conditions for Retainer Appointment
The policy outlines specific conditions for appointing a retainer:
Retainer appointments will only be approved if a genuine security risk exists.
Appointment of a retainer must not be authorized or used to influence political activities or for intimidation.
If a politically important person or candidate is eligible for a license but is unable or unwilling to purchase a firearm, they may appoint an individual as a retainer who possesses a valid license and firearm and is capable of operating it.This appointment must be approved by the license-issuing authority.
Retainer Eligibility
To be eligible as a retainer, an individual must meet the following criteria:
Be a Bangladeshi citizen with a minimum age of 25 years.
Have a clean criminal record and possess a police clearance certificate.
Be trained in the use of firearms (retired members of the Armed Forces or the Bangladesh Police will receive priority).
Have a Medical Fitness Certificate obtained from a government hospital.
The policy limits the appointment to a maximum of one retainer per politically important person or candidate, and the retainer's tenure will automatically end after the specified license period.
Crucially, a retainer will not be issued a firearm license in their name; they are solely the carrier of the weapon, and all liability related to the firearm rests with the license holder.
Code of Conduct
License holders are required to adhere to a strict code of conduct while possessing the firearm:
The license and authorization must be carried at all times while bearing the weapon.
The weapon must not be used for intimidation or harassment.
The firearm is exclusively for security purposes and cannot be used for any other work or objective.
The license and the licensed weapon cannot be transferred.
All license holders are mandated to immediately comply with any instructions issued by law enforcement agencies.
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