Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman has requested Dhaka residents not to come out of their homes unnecessarily during the curfew. He also said that legal action will be taken against those who violate the curfew law.
He said, Dhaka Metropolitan Police has shown great patience, tolerance and sensitivity so far. Our action is not against any agitating student. Our action is against vandals, against terrorists, against arsonists, against police killers. They will not be exempted at all. Dhaka Metropolitan Police will be forced to exercise maximum powers of law against them.
He said these things at a press conference organized at DMP Media Center on Sunday (August 4) at 10:30 pm.
The Commissioner said, "We note with deep concern that miscreants have used the agitators as a shield in the agitation started by ordinary students demanding rational quota reform under the banner of anti-discrimination student movement.
Unprecedented anarchy, arson and vandalism have been carried out across the country including Dhaka Metropolis. In addition to extreme public suffering in this violence, there have been tragic incidents like clashes and casualties at various places. In this, the security of the common people has been severely disturbed along with the inexplicable loss of state resources.
The Commissioner said that the government has already released the detained general students out of compassion. Still, using the students as a shield, the BNP-Jamaat Shibir saboteurs have been carrying out horrific acts of vandalism and arson since yesterday. Today they are carrying out rampages across the country.
Highlighting the details of the violence during the day, he said, Dhanmondi, Science Laboratory, Shahbagh, Press Club, Bangla Motar, Mohammadpur, Kajla, Uttara and other places in Dhaka city were under arson and unprecedented terrorist attacks. They gathered at different points of the capital with homemade weapons, firearms, cocktail bombs and attacked the innocent people and the police.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, the heart of the country's medical services, was not spared from their hellish torture. They ransacked the medical university and vandalized and set fire to several cars, ambulances and motorcycles inside. Terrorists also attacked the capital's CMM court.
They attacked Khilgaon police station, Jatrabari police station, Shahbag police station and vandalized and set fire to 10 police boxes in Dhaka city. They vandalized and set fire to several police vehicles. 3 policemen were shot dead in their firing. 11 policemen including the DC of Wari Division were injured. Their destructive activities prove beyond doubt that they are not students, they are terrorists and they are militants.
He also said that since the beginning of the quota movement, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has been performing its duties with great professionalism and extreme patience. All efforts have been made by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to ensure that common people can move safely and that the law and order situation does not deteriorate anywhere.
About 330 policemen of DMP were injured and 3 policemen were killed till now during their professional duties in this violence. Even today, this terrorist group brutally beat and killed 13 policemen on duty at Enayetpur police station in Sirajganj district. In addition, many journalists including members of the law and order forces were injured in their professional duties.
He requested all on behalf of Dhaka Metropolitan Police to respect the law and refrain from any destructive activities.