OC withdrawn, police commissioner apologises over attack on students in Gazipur

In the wake of the attack on leaders and activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Gazipur, the commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, Nazmul Karim Khan, has announced the withdrawal of the officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar police station for negligence of duty.

He said, “I apologise on behalf of the police force for the incident that occurred last night. I acknowledge my failure. No attacker will be spared; each assault will be answered. Action will be taken against those police officers who responded late.”

The police commissioner made these remarks on Saturday afternoon, when he visited a protest rally organized by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Rajbari Road, in front of the Gazipur deputy commissioner’s office.

The protest was triggered by the previous night’s attack on the movement's leaders and activists. The organization’s leaders and activists had blocked Rajbari Road in protest earlier that day.

Nazmul Karim Khan added, "I have heard that my OC responded to your call two hours later. I am standing here saying that I will suspend him. I want to make it clear that those who have collaborated with fascism should not be allowed to continue serving in the police."

The police commissioner further stated, “Those who have oppressed the people and inflicted cruelty on the country for the past 17 years are resurfacing. But we will not tolerate any resurgence. Already, 16 individuals have been arrested. A sweeping operation will be carried out tonight. Everyone involved in this incident will be brought to justice. A decision has already been made by the home ministry. 'Operation Devil Hunt' will be conducted to suppress Awami fascism.”

During the police commissioner’s speech, leaders and activists of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, including convener Hasnat Abdullah and central coordinator of the movement, Sarjis Alam, were present.

According to the organisation’s leaders and activists, the attack occurred on Friday night when students went to stop a looting incident at the house of former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque in Dhirasram area of Gazipur City Corporation. In protest against this attack, leaders, activists, and students of various organizations began a procession this morning in front of Rajbari Field and the deputy commissioner’s office.

At around 2 pm, students began a sit-in protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, which blocked road traffic. Later, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Nazmul Karim Khan arrived at the site and assured that action would be taken over the attack. The protesters then returned around 5:pm.

According to the leaders and injured students of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, after the vandalism incident in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi, they had circulated information asking people to inform them if there was any vandalism in Gazipur. Last night, they received news that a house of a former minister in the Dhirasram area was being looted. Upon hearing this, students went there to stop the looting but were attacked.