Names of Hefajat leaders not mentioned in cases will come up in investigation: IGP

Leaders of Hefajat-e-Islam were not sued immediately after the spree of attacks to avoid any sort of controversy, Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed said today.

"It's not like names not mentioned [in the case statements] will not come up in the investigation. We don't want to do anything in haste that will result in controversy. Criticism starts to pour in even when we're just doing our job," he said while responding to why police excluded names of top Hefajat leaders and instigators from the cases.

The police chief was speaking at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka, after visiting police personnel admitted there who were injured in attacks by Hefajat men in different parts of the country.

"Cases have been filed against those who carried out the attacks. Names of instigators will come up during investigation," he said.

Replying to another query, the police chief said the aim of the attacks was to taint the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh's independence.

Although there is plenty of video footage and photos showing that the recent countrywide mayhem was unleashed by Hefajat-e-Islam, only a handful of people from the Islamist organisation have been accused in cases filed over the violence.

As Hefajat began nationwide protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, the demonstrations turned violent in Dhaka and certain districts, including Brahmanbaria, Chattogram, Kishoreganj and Narayanganj.