Dhaka, June 11 -- The interim government's recent decision to withdraw lethal weapons from Bangladesh Police has raised serious concerns among rank-and-file officers, many of whom see this as a move that could irreparably weaken an institution already reeling from the July Uprising.

Several officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, interpreted the decision as a deliberate attempt to a force already "distressed" and demoralised by the violent July mass uprising. They fear this step could leave them exposed and effectively "incapable" in the face of escalating threats.

The government has yet to spell out how the disarmament will be implemented despite far-reaching implications. But officers in the field insist that it is not the prese...