Dhaka/New Delhi: Forty individuals have been arrested in Bangladesh as part of a crackdown following a violent attack on activists from a student group during vandalism at the residence of an Awami League leader on the outskirts of Dhaka, which left several people injured.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Devil Hunt,” was launched on Saturday after the attack on Friday night in Gazipur district.
Gazipur Superintendent of Police, Chowdhury Jaber Sadek, confirmed the arrests, noting that the suspects were rounded up from various parts of the district.
The violence erupted in Dakshinkhan area when a mob targeted the home of former Liberation War Affairs Minister, Mozammel Haque, with the intention of destroying symbols of the Awami League party.
Fourteen individuals from the attacking mob were injured and hospitalised, with some later referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
In response to the violence, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and National Citizens Committee held a protest in Gazipur, which turned violent when a student was shot outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Home Affairs Advisor Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasised that “Operation Devil Hunt” is targeting those aiming to destabilize the country and warned that the crackdown would continue until all perpetrators were held accountable.
The operation, which involves the Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, and various law enforcement agencies, aims to eliminate criminal elements and maintain law and order.
Alam explained that the term “devil” refers to those who engage in illegal, destabilizing activities and terrorism.
The government has vowed to bring those responsible for the Gazipur attacks to justice, with many arrests already made.
The violence on Friday was part of a wider series of attacks across the country sparked by a live online address from deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
ALSO READ: Garo bodies urge Meghalaya CM to declare Tura as state’s winter capital
Mobs targeted her supporters, vandalising homes and businesses across Dhaka and other cities, with reports of at least 70 attacks in 35 districts.
Protesters also set fire to the historic 32 Dhanmondi residence of Bangladesh’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) called for an end to “mob culture” and restoration of law and order, warning that failure to act could lead to the resurgence of “fascist” forces.
The BNP has announced rallies starting February 11, demanding action on the deteriorating security situation and an electoral roadmap.
