National Desk :
Police have arrested thousands of people nationwide in different cases related to vandalism, arson and damaging public assets during the anti-quota movement. Our Chattogram correspondent reported that a new case has been registered at Chandgaon police station regarding the vandalism of Water Development Board office, attempted murder, arson and explosions in Chittagong due to the quota movement. About 500 to 700 people have been accused in this case.
Meanwhile, a total of 27 cases have been filed in Chittagong Metropolitan Area and Chittagong District in the last one week.
In the last 24 hours, police have arrested 35 more people in connection with terrorist activities, murder, riots and sabotage in the city in the name of quota reform movement.
According to Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) sources, a total of 408 people have been arrested in the city so far in 17 cases of vandalism. Besides, 37 named persons and 100-150 unknown persons have been made accused in the new case filed at Halishahar police station. 4 people have been arrested from the spot. CMP Media and Public Relations Department Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kazi Md. Tarek Aziz said, the police have filed these cases as plaintiffs under the Explosives Act and alleging murder, rioting and obstructing government work. We are trying to identify the accused based on CCTV footage and intelligence information.
According to the police, 703 people were arrested in Chittagong city and district from the night of July 16 to Wednesday (July 24) at eight o’clock in the morning.
Most of them are BNP-Jamaat supporters. A total of 3 people were killed in Muradpur area under Panchlaish Thana of the city on the afternoon of July 16 in the clash of Jubo League and Chhatra League with the agitators. On July 18, two people were killed in a clash at Bahaddarhat under Chandgaon police station.
A student of Chittagong UNiversity Hriday Chandra Tarua, who was shot in the Bahaddarhat clash, died on Tuesday (July 23) at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
CMP Media and Public Relations Department Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kazi Md. Tarek Aziz told that 16 cases have been filed in Chittagong regarding murder, riots, terrorist activities and sabotage during the quota movement. A total of 373 people, including 46 people, have been arrested in these cases in the last 24 hours.
Chittagong District Additional Superintendent of Police (DSB) Abu Taib Md. Arif Hossain told New Nation that 11 cases have been registered in Chittagong regarding attacks and vandalism related to the quota movement. A total of 330 people including 57 people have been arrested in these cases in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, our Sylhet Bureau office informed about 16,000 people have been sued in 10 cases in connection with various incidents of violence during the quota reform movement in Sylhet.
The cases were filed separately at Kotwali, Jalalabad, and South Surma Police Stations under Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
Mohammad Saiful Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, confirmed the information and said that a total of 107 people have been arrested following these cases as of 10:30pm on Tuesday.
Saiful Islam said that none of the arrested individuals are students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). However, students from various private universities in Sylhet, excluding SUST, have been named as accused.
Police sources said that they have filed 10 cases as plaintiffs over the incidents of violence in various parts of city. Among these, five cases were filed at Kotwali police station, four at Jalalabad police station, and one at South Surma police station.
A total of 244 accused were named in these cases while 12,810 to 16,015 unidentified individuals were made accused in the same cases. The quota reform movement in Sylhet, began on July 2 with the students of SUST. The movement then, gained momentum from July 15 as students from various private universities and colleges of the city joined in. By July 17, the movement had turned violent.
The situation escalated further when the ‘Complete Shutdown’ was declared nationwide on July 18, leading to widespread violence the following day. Violence erupted in the city on Friday (July 19), surrounding the students’ movement, resulting in extensive clashes between students, and the police. To control the situation, a curfew was imposed nationwide from Saturday.
During the violence in Sylhet, a journalist was shot dead, and a SUST student drowned while fleeing in panic. Several police officers were injured in clashes with protesters, with numerous students sustaining injuries.
Our Barishal correspondent reported that at least 13 men arrested on Thursday increasing the total number of arrestees to 110in last five days in Barishal city and district. Within this period over seven cases lodged, confirmed, Barishal Metropolitan Police and district police.
Munirul Islam ,Inspector, ICTof BMP told the journalists that total 82 arrested in last five days and among them 9 arrested in early Thursday to evening for recent violence.
Barishal district superintendent of police (SP), Wahidul Islam told at least more 4 arrested within early Thursday to evening and with them umber of arrestees reached 28 within last five days under Barishal district police.
Operation of passenger carrying road transports from Barishal Nathullabad and Rupatali bus terminals continued on most of local and long distance routes on Thursday. However passenger carrying water transportson Bhola, Mehendigonj and small routes of the district and region operated on Thursday. But water transports on Barishal-Dhaka-Barishal route have not left Barisal river port on Thursday.
Port officer Abdur Razzak said Launch Owners Assocision and Shipping Ministry and law and order forces held a meeting at Sadar ghat of Dhaka River Port and decided not to ply launch as the curfew relaxed only upto 6pm.
“They decided to observe the situation more 3 or 4 days for taking decision to resume operation of passenger carrying water transports on Barishal-Dhaka-Barishal route”, the port officer explained .
In Barishal city, most of kitchen markets, showrooms, shops have been seen open during the breaking time of curfew from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM in the city area. Huge people have been seen in branches of scfeduled banks for regular transaction and collection of bills.
MA Maweed, manager of Uttara Bank, Barishal branch said within 12 :00 noon at least hundred customers received their services in this branch like other days of normal times.
Army, BGB, Ansar Bataliyan and police have been seen checking people at entrance and outgoing points of most of the important roads and highways of the city and district on Thursday.
