The interim government on Saturday started a special drive named ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ with an aim to curb unrest and ensure public safety across the country. This comes immediately after the completion of six months of the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Elaborating the scope of the operation, Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury yesterday told reporters that the operation will focus on detaining individuals who threaten the nation's stability and will continue until all the devils are brought to justice.
"The 'Operation Devil Hunt' will carry on until every devil is held accountable," he said after the inauguration of the new Soil Building at the Soil Resources Institute in Farmgate yesterday.
According to the adviser, those who contribute to the country's instability and violate its law—are the devils. He also included anarchists to the list.
The operation was launched following a deadly attack on "students and common people" in Gazipur on Friday night.
The Home Ministry decided to launch the operation at a meeting with law enforcement agencies on Saturday evening.
This announcement followed a 24-hour ultimatum issued by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement for the apprehension of those responsible for the attack in Gazipur.
Till last night, a total of 1,308 suspected criminals were arrested across the country as part of the operation, according to Additional Inspector General of Police (Media) Inamul Haque Sagar.
At a briefing at the secretariat yesterday, Dr Nasimul Gani, senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that the main goal of the operation is to arrest those who are trying to destabilize the country and bring them under justice.
He added: "Unlike the defeated fascist forces, we could not be inhumane or ruthless, as the movements and uprisings in July and August were fought for human rights."
When asked about the differences between the existing joint operation and the operation devil hunt the Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam clarified and said that for the last five months, law enforcement agencies have been executing operations independently while coordinating their activities in the field. On the other hand, the new nationwide operation, which commenced on Saturday, will be centrally organized and managed from a dedicated control hub.
“Various agencies operate separately in the field and later synchronize their efforts in this existing joint force operation, but Operation Devil Hunt will be centrally organized and administered from a control room," said Baharul Alam.
He also pointed out that the operation will encompass a significantly wider range than the ongoing raids.
This operation will incorporate not only the police but also personnel from the Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar, and the Coast Guard, he added.
The joint forces, including the armed forces, BGB, Coast Guards, Police, Rapid Action Battalion, and Ansar, have been deployed nationwide since September 4 to seize illegal firearms and uphold law and order.
