Dismissing as rumour Hefazat-e-Islam’s claim of 2,500-3000 activists being killed, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday said no one had been killed during the drive to clear Hefazat activists in the early hours of Monday although seven bodies, including that of a policeman, were recovered after the operations in Motijheel and its adjoining areas.
Four people were killed in clashes on Sunday, bringing to 11 the total number of dead during the Dhaka Siege by Hefazat, according to the DMP chief.
He also claimed that none of those 11 died during their operation.
A huge contingent of law enforcers conducted an operation between Sunday and early Monday to drive out tens of thousands of Hefazat activists from Motijheel area, who vowed to hold the ground till their 13-point demands are met by the concerned authorities.
Since the operation, it has been circulating in different social media that at least 2,500-3,000 people were killed during the operation.
“The families of the victims would rush to Dhaka to claim for the bodies if the death figure was so high,” he said during a press briefing at DMP Media Centre.
“A vested ill-motivated group has been spreading this rumour. [Law enforcement agencies] conducted the drive without carrying any lethal weapons to ensure zero casualty,” he said.
Benazir also claimed that intelligence reports said Hefazat activists might loot Bangladesh Bank, the Secretariat and other important offices.
“Our operation was necessary in order to protect these key installations,” he said.
When asked why Hefazat was given permission to hold a rally in such an important area of the city despite having intelligence reports that they might carry out destructive attacks, the DMP commissioner said top leaders of the Chittagong-based platform pledged to hold a special prayer by chopping off their pre-scheduled programme.
“We trusted [their word] and gave them the necessary permission to hold the rally, which they did not keep,” he said.
