The police Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit chief Monirul Islam has said the attack which took place in front of BNP office on Wednesday was premeditated.
Monirul said this while speaking as the chief guest at a program at the Cirdap auditorium in Dhaka on Friday.
Debate for Democracy in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation and Sampreeti Prokolpa jointly organized the dialogue program.
He said: “The law enforcement officials are well prepared to tackle any kind of unwanted situation that may arise due to the upcoming general election.
“Terrorists hate elections and democracy, therefore we cannot take any violence lightly and we will put down any attack that harms us. Though there is no threat of militant attack regarding the election.”
“The people of the country are more aware of terrorism than before and at the same time law enforcers are more powerful to tackle any attack,” he said.
Monirul also said: “Many operations were conducted in different parts of the country to suppress militants and their activities, for which there has been decrease in militant attacks in the recent times.”
Answering to a question about the attack in front of BNP office on Wednesday, the CTTC chief said: “According to the electoral code of conduct, there is no rule of submitting or collecting nomination forms in large gatherings and long procession. Dhaka Metropolitan Police has the right to disperse any kind of action on illegal gatherings. But we did not charge at them.
“Instead, we requested them to follow the code of conduct, but they attacked us and set our vehicles on fire and injured our men.”
Monirul added: “Only those who were involved in the attack have been identified through video footage and three cases were filed against them.”
He also urged the people to remain cautious about any militant activities.
At the program, Debate for Democracy Chairman Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury presented the keynote speech.
Dhaka University Professor Dr Farhana Begum, investment banker Mahbub Majumder, singer Kabir Bakul, Dhaka Aliya Madrasa Principal Professor Md Alamgir Rahman, and psychiatrist Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed also spoke at the program.