The government on Friday said the “rumor of the loss of thousands of lives” in the city’s Motijheel area during the joint drive to clear Shapla Chattar is completely “baseless, fabricated and ill-motivated”.
“In the age of mobile phones, email and the internet, it’s simply unbelievable,” the government said in a press note issued five days after the late night crackdown.
It said relatives, friends and well-wishers of the victims would have been busy looking for their near and dear ones had there been such a huge number of casualties, and the media would have revealed that.
“No one can show any example in this regard. It proves the news of a huge number of lives lost is untrue and completely motivated,” the press note said.
It said a large number of media people from television channels and still cameramen were present during the drive and monitored and broadcast it. “Many people in high-rise buildings took pictures at that time and watched the operation.”
The press note also mentioned that the members of law enforcement agencies helped those who took shelter inside narrow lanes and buildings to get out freely and without fear.
The law enforcement agencies also helped children and youths who came to Dhaka for the first time, which was broadcast by the electronic media.
“Police and BGB members identified the ‘campaign of a huge loss of life’ as untrue, illogical and motivated,” the three-page press note said.
Within 10-15 minutes of the drive, the press note said, people moved towards Sayedabad-Jatrabari from Shapla Chattar and four dead bodies were seen wrapped in white cloth during the drive.
Quoting police sources, the press note said a total of 11 people, including three pedestrians and a policeman, were killed on the day at different stages of clashes.
Earlier, dismissing the allegation of mass killing and concealing bodies, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner
Benazir Ahmed said there was no incident of killing during the operation at Shapla Chattar.
“As no lethal weapon was used by law enforcers in the late night action to drive away Hefazat activists, there was no possibility of killing at that time,” Benazir told the press conference at the DMP Media Centre.