Operation devil hunt phase 2 begins
Staff Reporter :
The interim government has decided to immediately launch “Operation Devil Hunt Phase 2” to intensify security operations against what it described as fascist terrorist networks and to recover looted and illegal firearms, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Saturday.
The decision was taken at an urgent law and order meeting at the Secretariat, held a day after the gun attack on Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jahangir said ongoing operations to seize illegal weapons would be further strengthened and expedited as part of the new phase.
The government had earlier launched the nationwide security drive, titled “Operation Devil Hunt,” on February 8 following a violent attack in Gazipur a day earlier, which officials said was allegedly carried out by individuals loyal to the previous Awami League regime and targeted students and civilians.
Addressing concerns over the safety of candidates ahead of the upcoming national election, the home adviser said firearm licences, which had so far been issued only to government officials, would now also be provided to election candidates who apply for them.
He added that candidates who had previously deposited their licensed weapons with the authorities would have those firearms returned.
Jahangir said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the interim government had expressed deep sorrow over the attack on Hadi, whom he described
as a frontline fighter of last year’s July Uprising, and stressed that the incident was being treated with the highest priority.
Law enforcement agencies, he said, had been instructed to immediately arrest those involved, warning that no one linked to the attack would be spared.
He also said the government was firmly committed to ensuring the safety of frontline figures of the July Uprising. A small committee has already been formed to assess security risks and recommend necessary measures to protect them, he added.
Expressing optimism, Jahangir said he hoped the perpetrators would be brought to justice soon and urged the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to help them carry out their duties effectively.
Regarding the motive behind the attack on Hadi, who remains in critical condition at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, the adviser said the government believed the shooting was aimed at disrupting the upcoming 13th national election.
“The interim government will prevent any attempts to obstruct the national election and will deal with such acts firmly,” he said.