'Operation Devil Hunt' launched countrywide

The government launched on Saturday 'Operation Devil Hunt' consisting of joint forces across Bangladesh including Gazipur district aiming to restore law and order and bring terrorists to justice.
The government took the move in the wake of the terrorist attack on students and the public in Gazipur on Friday night while they were protesting in front of the residence of former minister of liberation war AKM Mozammel Haque.
On Saturday, another terrorist attack was launched when two assailants opened fire on leaders and activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in front of the Gazipur Deputy Commissioner's office also.
At around 6:30 pm, two youths came by a motorcycle and opened fire on the leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination movement and fled away.
An activist of the Gazipur district unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement named Mobashsher was injured in the shooting, said Samiul Alam Nabil, joint convener of the unit.
There took place another attack on Saturday afternoon while leaders and activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) were holding a press conference in Gazipur.
At that time, two youths came by a motorcycle and fired several shots and quickly fled.
Mobashsher who received shot in a hand was rescued and taken to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital.
Earlier, the operation was announced in a government press release sent to the media on Saturday by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The release said that a meeting was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs with the law enforcement agencies in response to the terrorist attack on students and the public in Gazipur.
In the meeting, a decision was taken to conduct 'Operation Devil Hunt' with the joint forces to maintain law and order in the area concerned and bring the terrorists under the law.
The press release states that a press conference will be held today (Sunday) to provide details about 'Operation Devil Hunt'.
It stated that several students and the public were severely injured in the attack by terrorists who were believed to be followers of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Friday's attack, allegedly carried out by operatives linked to the fallen dictatorship, left several people severely injured, prompting swift government action.
Members and leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gave an ultimatum to the government to arrest those accused of attacking students and the public on Friday in Gazipur.
They went to the house of former minister and Gazipur Awami League president Mozammel in Dhirasram Dakhinkhan area of the city at 9pm on Friday following a report that a crowd was attacking and vandalising the residence.
An argument broke out and locals attacked the students.
Home affairs adviser Lt. Gen. Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) vowed on Saturday to take stern action against those involved in the heinous attack on the student-people in Gazipur district.
"None, involved in the attack on the student-people (in Gazipur), will not be spared. We are taking legal action against them. All responsible for the attack have been exposed to justice," he said after visiting the injured at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in the morning.
The adviser also said that he has already instructed all concerned to ensure maximum punishment to the attackers.
Five students who were injured in the attack in Gazipur were admitted to the DMCH and the condition of one of them was critical.
Additional deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police Rabiul Islam said that initially 13 people were reportedly injured in the incident.
The leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement said that those injured in the attack were initially admitted to the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur. Then, around 1.0 am, seven victims with severe injuries were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Gazipur district and city branches of the National Citizens' Committee held a protest rally.
They blocked the road in the city's Bhawal Rajbari area on Saturday afternoon in protest against the attack.
They chanted "anti-fascist" slogans. The protesters set a 24-hour deadline for the authorities to arrest the attackers.
Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge of Gazipur Sadar Police Station Arifur Rahman has been suspended on charge of negligence of duty during the attack on leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination movement. GMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Taherul Haque Chauhan confirmed the matter around 6:00pm to the media.
Earlier, in the afternoon, GMP Commissioner Nazmul Karim Khan went to the protest programme of the anti-discrimination student movement on Rajbari Road in front of the Gazipur Deputy Commissioner's Office.
He apologised to the protesters on behalf of the force.
"On behalf of the police force, I apologise for the incident that happened last night. I admit my failure. No attacker will be spared, every attack will be responded to. Action will be taken against all the police for their delayed response," he said.
"I have heard that OC responded to your call after two hours. I want to say that those who have conspired with these fascists cannot be allowed to serve in the police," he said while addressing the protesters.
He also assured them that the police would not allow those who have oppressed the country for the past 17 years 'to raise their heads again'.
GMP Commissioner Mr Nazmul Karim Khan said the government has already taken strong steps 'to suppress the Awami fascism'.
He said 16 people have already been arrested for their alleged involvement in Friday night's incident.
"All those involved in the incident will be brought to book," he added.
Convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser of the National Nagorik Committee and Central Coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Sarjis Alam and other leaders and activists of the organisation were present among the protesters.
The leaders and activists withdrew their protest programme around 5:00pm (Saturday) after the police commissioner's assurance.
A group of people attacked the residence of former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque in Gazipur around 9:00 pm on Friday.
According to witnesses, suspecting them as robbers, a section of the locals intervened and beat up some people, injuring at least 18 people.
However, Md Nasir, brother of one of the injured, gave a different account of the events.
He said that some people lured several July uprising leaders and activists into a house and locked them in a room.
He said that they had been severely beaten and hacked with sharp weapons there.

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