Perpetrators of violence in Faridpur will be brought to justice: DIG Rezaul
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for Dhaka Range Rezaul Karim Mallick has said those responsible for the recent violence in Bhanga Upazila of Faridpur will be identified and brought under legal action.
"Those who are fascists, we will definitely bring them under the law. I have already issued instructions to arrest them. The real perpetrators behind the attack will be identified and legal steps will follow," he said while speaking to reporters around midnight (15 September) after inspecting the police and administration offices damaged from yesterday's violence.
The DIG said all necessary measures are being taken to maintain law and order and that he has spoken with officials responsible for security about the situation.
He added that he has spoken to those who were on duty during the violence and confirmed that four to five police personnel were injured during the incident.
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"We understand people's emotions. We are working on these concerns. I again urge residents to wait patiently for the legal process to unfold and refrain from any further protest programmes. You have a good reputation—please ensure no harm comes to the public," he said
Rezaul said the district police have been tasked with assessing losses at Bhanga Police Station, while the deputy commissioner has been asked to evaluate the damage at Bhanga Upazila Parishad.
Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan Mollah urged Bhanga residents to remain calm and step back from further protests.
He mentioned that a letter has been sent to the Election Commission secretary in Dhaka and that a writ has been filed, scheduled for hearing on 21 September.
Earlier, the DIG inspected the damaged offices of the upazila, held an emergency meeting with officials, and instructed them to take necessary actions.
Among those present were Dhaka Range Additional DIG Siddiqur Rahman, Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan Mollah, District Superintendent of Police Abdul Jalil, Additional District Commissioner Mintu Biswas, Additional Superintendent of Police (Bhanga Circle) Asif Iqbal, and Officer-in-Charge of Bhanga Police Station Mohammad Ashraf Hossain.
Notably, yesterday afternoon, at least 20 offices, including Bhanga Upazila Parishad and the UNO's office, as well as two police stations, were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire during protests over constituency demarcation. The DIG visit was in light of the incident.
Earlier, on 4 September, the Election Commission published the final gazette fixing the boundaries of the 300 constituencies. Under the new arrangement, Algi and Hamirdi unions of Faridpur's Bhanga Upazila were cut from Faridpur-4 and added to Faridpur-2, sparking the demonstrations.
