Police have no info on casualties from quota reform violence in Savar: DIG

The police have no specific information on the number of casualties resulting from the violence in Savar since 18 July, said Syed Nurul Islam, deputy inspector general (DIG), Dhaka Range, Bangladesh Police.

"As of now, we have no records of any casualties because no such information has been reported to us," he said today (25 July) while responding to a query from The Business Standard at a press conference at the Savar Model Police station.

"We are investigating. If anyone has been injured or killed, we will examine their affiliations, the circumstances of the incidents, who attacked them, and how. We will take appropriate action based on our findings," he added.

The DIG said Bangladesh Police are committed to protecting the lives and property of all citizens. "During this critical time, the police have stood by the people, enforcing the law to the best of their ability."

Regarding the casualties caused by the police firing, he said, "The police always prioritise legal measures, including the use of riot control weapons like tear gas, shotguns, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. At a certain point, for self-defence, the police had to resort to firing lead balls, which injured many, including police officers."

When asked how the police ensure that innocent people are not harassed during operations, DIG Islam said, "We take action based on concrete evidence."

The DIG also mentioned that during the days of continuous violence, various properties were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire. So far, 19 cases have been filed in Dhaka district, and approximately 250 people have been arrested in connection with these incidents.

Emphasising that the quota reform student movement had no connection with these anarchic activities, DIG Islam said, "The quota reform movement was completely hijacked by anti-state agents who want to remove this government and make the state dysfunctional… It was an act of treason, unrelated to the quota reform movement. The students involved in the quota reform movement did not participate in any of the vandalism or arson anywhere in Bangladesh."

"We have video footage and found no evidence of student involvement in these activities. The perpetrators we identified were miscreants and anarchists who rebelled against the state and government, seeking to benefit from the government's downfall," he added.

The DIG also claimed that street vendors, who were previously evicted as part of efforts to clear roads for public use, participated in the violence, contributing to the chaos, vandalism, and arson.