In a move to maintain law and order and end the long-standing culture of village brawls, the police administration in Gopalganj’s Tungipara upazila has issued a directive urging residents to surrender their locally made weapons.
At the initiative of the local police station, public announcements are being made across different unions of the upazila, asking people to voluntarily hand over all kinds of homemade weapons—such as shields, spears, machetes, billhooks, lances, and sticks—at their respective union parishad offices.
Police have stated that no legal action will be taken against those who voluntarily surrender their weapons. However, legal measures will be taken against anyone who disobeys the directive.
Tungipara Police Station OC Jahidul Islam said, in our society, fights over trivial matters have almost become a cultural norm. I want people to break free from this habit and regain trust in the law. When weapons are in people’s hands, they can act impulsively. Our goal is to build a weapon-free society.
The OC further mentioned that, under the direction of the Superintendent of Police, awareness campaigns and meetings are being held at the union level. All surrendered weapons will later be destroyed according to legal procedures.
This initiative has brought a sense of relief and appreciation among local residents. A villager from Patgati said,
“Before, even small arguments would lead to people pulling out shields and spears. Now that the police are collecting weapons, these fights will decrease.”
Patgati Union’s Ward No. 5 Member Rungu Khan said that campaigns and public announcements are ongoing in every ward with the help of union councils, village police, and local imams.
Recently, clashes over issues like buying and picking coconuts in Sriramkandi, Patgati, and Gohardanga areas left 35 people injured. This special measure has been taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.
UNO Farzana Akter said, this is a timely initiative for maintaining law and order. The administration will continue to provide full support.
The general public now hopes that Tungipara’s long-standing culture of village clashes will finally come to an end—and that the upazila will once again live up to its reputation as a “land of peace.
