Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
The countrywide crackdown, “Operation Devil Hunt,” will continue until the devils are eliminated, said Bangladesh interim government home affairs adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. “The operation will target those who are desperate to destabilize the country,” he warned on Sunday.
The crackdown follows violent attacks on students and civilians in Gazipur, where mobs targeted the home of former minister and Awami League leader AKM Mozammel Haque. At least 14 attackers were injured, leading to protests by student groups. A student was later shot near the Deputy Commissioner’s office. In response, the government launched Operation Devil Hunt, arresting 65 suspected Awami League members, according to Gazipur police SP Dr Chowdhury Jaber Sadek.
The government has also arrested five senior police officers accused of using excessive force during elections and the 2024 uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina. “The public knows their crimes,” said home adviser Chowdhury.
Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after her government collapsed, remains a focal point of unrest. Mobs have vandalized properties of Awami League leaders, with at least 70 attacks recorded in 35 districts. Protesters also set fire to Hasina’s father and Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic residence at Dhanmondi-32.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus called for “complete law and order” and condemned attacks on Hasina’s allies. The government has set up a ‘Central Command Centre’ to enhance security. Meanwhile, BNP warned against “mob culture” and announced nationwide rallies from February 11, demanding law and order and an electoral roadmap.
Home ministry secretary Dr Nasimul Gani assured that ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ would uphold human rights. “Unlike the defeated fascist forces, we cannot be inhumane. Some have fled, while action is being taken against those who remain,” he said.