Baitul Mukarram clash: Police yet to identify perpetrators

The police have started a case against 500-600 unidentified people in connection with clashes between anti-Modi protesters and law-enforcement personnel, vandalism and arson attacks in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday on the occasion of the Independence Day.

Md Shamim Hossain, sub-inspector of Paltan Model Police Station, filed the case on Friday night. The Business Standard has obtained a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) of the case.

"Some protesters with locally made weapons chanted anti-government, provocative and defamatory slogans and launched attacks on police and mass people, severely vandalised some parts of the national mosque and set five motorcycles on fire," the First Information reads.

However, the police could neither identify nor arrest any of the attackers.

Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in charge of Paltan Model Police Station, told The Business Standard that the operations are being made to arrest the perpetrators. 

In the FIR, police also mentioned that they have fired around 1,107 bullets (827 rubber bullets, 310 lead) and 93 tear gas shells during the incident.

When asked why the leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam or other Islamic groups who were protesting at Baitul Mokarram area on Friday  have not been made accused in the case, Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Motijheel division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), refused to make any comment.

"We said it earlier that after the jummah prayers two factions of Muslims locked into a scuffle on that day. When police personnel went to normalise the situation, they came into conflict with police. We could not identify them. Investigations are on to bring them to book," he added.

No case filed over vandalism in Signboard, Naryanganj

Meanwhile, the Narayanganj police are yet to file any case over vandalism, and arson attacks on at least seven public buses, media vehicles in the Signboard area of Sanarpar, Narayanganj.

Md Moshiur Rahman, OC of Siddhirganj police station, told TBS that they are counting the losses of Sunday's violence.

Asked who the attackers were, he said they are verifying their identities. 

Jahed Parvez Chowdhury, additional superintendent of Narayanganj District Police, told TBS that it will take some time.

"Lodging a case requires specific details of an incident. Yesterday was a terrible day. All are exhausted and many are injured. Moreover, we need to talk to the owners of the damaged vehicles. We are finding them out and requesting them to lodge cases. Therefore, it might take a few days."