Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed has termed the sheer rampage carried out by Hefazat-e-Islam across the country, including Brahmanbaria, as “inhumane” and “disgusting.”
“Every important government office in Brahmanbaria was attacked. I fail to find words to condemn this disgusting incident. Innocent madrasa students were used in the attacks.
“This is very inhumane,” Benazir told the media during his visit to Brahmanbaria on Thursday.
He said: “Everyone has the right to do politics. But why such wanton destruction?
“The country comes first. How can one do politics by destroying state property?”
“There was a time when huzurs [clerics] couldn’t even afford pedal rickshaws. But now senior huzurs have cars and some are even called Helicopter Huzur.”
“State institutions are the property of the people. I do not understand why these attacks took place here. The land office here was burnt down; it had preserved records as old as 150 to 200 years old.
“Now the people under the jurisdiction of this office will have to suffer for at least 50 years,” IGP Benazir adde
Addressing the people of Brahmanbaria district, Benazir said: "You have no reason to be afraid. The state, the law, and the country’s people are by your side. If you people press charges for the attacks then of course action will be taken against those responsible.”
On Friday, a group of Hefazat-e-Islam hardliners clashed with the police during protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit outside the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka.
The clashes soon spread like wildfire across the country, leaving hundreds of people, including journalists and law enforcers, injured and scores killed. Government and private properties were damaged.
The same day, the Islamist group called a dawn to dusk hartal across the country for Sunday and announced a countrywide protest for Saturday over the deaths of its members.
Altogether 14 Hefazat men – 10 in Brahmanbaria and four in Chittagong – have died in the ensuing clashes with the law enforcement officials since Friday.
