As the country heads toward the national election, the open use of illegal firearms, armed clashes, and the resurgence of underworld gangs has sparked growing public concern.

This week, top-listed criminal Tariq Saif Mamun was shot dead in broad daylight just yards from Dhaka's busiest court area.

The killing came just days after a man named Sarwar Hossain Babla was gunned down during an election campaign in Chattogram.

According to law enforcement sources, the killings mark a resurgence of top gang leaders who were released from prison following the fall of the Awami League regime. With them, many of their associates have also resurfaced.

Meanwhile, reports suggest weapons are still being smuggled through several border points.

The government has announced plans to hold the 13th national election in February, with the schedule expected next month. Political parties have started naming candidates and launching campaigns nationwide.

Against this backdrop,  the recent spate of killings, extortion, and armed clashes in Dhaka and Chattogram has left the law enforcement authorities alarmed.

Police sources said several of these murders and shootings are linked to turf wars and personal feuds, and they trace back to top figures in the criminal underworld.

Also, the sources say, some political leaders are backing these criminal groups to enlist muscle in the run-up to the polls.

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury recently said action will be taken if any bailed criminals are found involved in new crimes.

He added that both the Dhaka and Chattogram shootings were the result of conflicts between rival gangs. "Action has been taken against the person responsible in Chattogram, and the ones responsible in Dhaka will be arrested soon."

A recent report by an intelligence agency to the Police Headquarters warned that underworld gangs could be used as hired muscle during the election to intimidate voters, attack rival campaigners, and influence outcomes.

The report noted that several notorious gang leaders living abroad are reactivating local networks via digital communication and illicit money transfers. Political actors are exploiting these networks.

Sources said top gangsters are again fighting turf wars over extortion, land grabs, and drug money, often using teen gangs as foot soldiers.

Following the regime change, several notorious criminals -- including Abbas Ali, alias Killer Abbas; Sweden Aslam; Imamul Hasan Helal, alias Picchi Helal; Sanjidul Islam Emon; Khondaker Nayeem, alias Titon; and Khorshed Alam, alias Freedom Rasu -- were released from jail, while others like Molla Masud and Tokai Sagor returned home from abroad.

Upon their return, they reclaimed territories, summoned old followers, and demanded "collections". Clashes broke out when local cadres resisted.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch Chief Shafiqul Islam said the rivalry between gangster Sanjidul Islam Emon and top criminal Mamun intensified recently. Mamun was killed over dominance in Dhaka's underworld, allegedly ordered by Roni, Emon's associate, who paid two gunmen Tk 2 lakh for the hit after several failed attempts.

Asked about efforts to control underworld crime, DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali told The Daily Star, "Crime in Dhaka is very much under control. Compared to previous months, muggings and daylight attacks have dropped significantly. Police have maintained order without using lethal force."

However, locals and media reports suggest the picture is far messier, with groups led by Emon, Picchi Helal, Molla Masud, and Subrata Bain continuing to carry out extortion and land grabbing.

Subrata and Masud were arrested in Kushtia earlier this year, but others have fled abroad.

THE NETWORKS

Subrata Bain, once influential in Moghbazar, Motijheel, Paltan and Malibagh, reportedly lost ground after his arrest. The Jisan group now allegedly exerts control over Malibagh, Motijheel, Moghbazar, Badda, and Mohakhali, extorting hefty sums from major contracts, land deals, and business transactions.

Meanwhile, top criminal Emon, operating from abroad, is believed to have control over broad swathes of Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Jigatola, Hazaribagh and sections of New Market. His key associates -- Rony, Kallu and Shahidul -- collect "protection money" from Baroikhali to the Rayerbazar area.

In Paikpara, Kalyanpur, Adabor and parts of Mohammadpur, Pichi Helal's group extorts money from contractors, local sources say.

In Mirpur-1 and Shah Ali areas, local businesses, contracting work, and waste management are reportedly controlled by the men of top criminal Shahadat, who is currently living abroad.

In Mirpur-13, individuals linked to Killer Abbas and Ibrahim have been accused by contractors of extorting "protection money".

According to reports, most top gang leaders now operate from abroad, running large criminal networks that keep them beyond the reach of law enforcement. They fund bail and living expenses for arrested members so they return to the gang.

Meanwhile, fugitive crime boss Sazzad Ali, alias "Boro Sazzad," controls Chattogram's underworld from abroad. His armed gang collects extortion, controls turf, and eliminates rivals on his orders, according to police sources.

Sazzad once ruled through deputies Sarwar Hossain Babla and Akbar Ali, alias "Dhakaiya Akbar". A decade ago, both split to form separate gangs.

Sarwar was shot dead on November 5 during an election campaign in Panchlaish, Chattogram. Akbar was killed on May 23 in Patenga. Police said both killings were carried out on Sazzad's orders.

Sazzad's followers reportedly don't hesitate to open fire if extortion demands are unmet. Since August last year, his group has been linked to 10 murders, according to police sources.

Apart from the recent killing during the election campaign, local businessman Abdul Hakim and Jubo Dal activist Mohammad Alamgir were shot dead last month in Chattogram's Raozan as rival politicians fight for dominance.

ILLEGAL ARMS

All these killings involved the use of illegal firearms. Sources report the spread of pistols, revolvers, rifles, and submachine guns in almost every corner of the country.

The recent report submitted to the PHQ identified at least 18 border points through which illegal weapons regularly enter the country. The most active points include Teknaf, Benapole, Chapainawabganj, Kushtia, Dinajpur, and Meherpur. Smugglers are also using river routes.

Between August 1 and November 9, the Rapid Action Battalion recovered 189 firearms and arrested 98 people linked to illegal arms.

Border Guard Bangladesh said it recovered 1,225 firearms and large quantities of ammunition along the border during the first nine months of this year. Of these, 97 weapons were seized between January and April, and over a thousand from May to September.

Meanwhile, more than 1,300 firearms looted from police stations during the July uprising remain missing, with many reportedly now in the hands of criminals and being used to commit crimes across the country.

Omar Faruk, professor of criminology and police science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, said many top criminals who were released from jail after the August 5 changeover have become active again. "Now, they are aligning with different political parties and engaging in violent criminal activities."

Although police earlier said they would keep these criminals under surveillance, Faruk questioned how that would be possible.

"With so many chaotic incidents happening every day, police currently lack the capacity to maintain effective surveillance."

Regarding illegal firearms, he said, while there have been some drives to recover looted arms, no effective operation has been carried out to control the overall flow of illegal weapons, leading to a politically and socially unstable situation.

"At this point, the government and law enforcement agencies must take decisive action to re-arrest the identified criminals within a specific timeframe and bring them under the law. They must also recover illegal firearms through targeted operations."

"Otherwise, the upcoming election is unlikely to be peaceful or fair, and incidents of killings and violent crimes are expected to rise sharply, pushing the country further into uncertainty," he warned.