Bangladesh’s security forces have apprehended 1,308 individuals nationwide in the ongoing “Operation Devil Hunt,” meant to stop mob attack and vandalism. Started after some student protesters were hurt in fighting at a former Gazipur home of an Awami League Minister last week, the initiative began by the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
According The Business Standard, a combination of army, police, and specialized forces led to the arrest of 274 people from urban areas; 1,034 others from rural regions were detained. The vast majority of the detained were connected with the Awami League and its groups, including 81 party members from Gazipur and many others from Noakhali and Cumilla.
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In reaction to the violence—including an assault on students affiliated with the expelled autocratic government—the special initiative, called “Operation Devil Hunt,” started on Saturday. The operation is meant to discover and expose the people who have been disrupting the nation so that they can be brought to justice.
Home Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury underlined that the operation would keep running until every accountable party, described as “devils,” is exposed to justice. He said, “Not a single devil should be left out,” noting that many of those who took part in the Gazipur incident have already been caught. The senior Home Ministry official ran the operation until the destabilizing elements are eliminated.
This comes following several days of disturbance, including demonstrations damaging structures related with the family of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Reports indicating Hasina would be seen in an exile broadcast helped to driving the protest. Hasina has been held responsible for the violence by the interim administration.
Yunus called for restraint on Friday and emphasized the need of observing the rule of law and distinguishing the new Bangladesh under construction from the old. He said, “It is vital for us and our worldwide friends to demonstrate our support of our principles… is unflappable.”
