Police forced to open fire to save themselves during Hefajat mayhem: home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today told the parliament that all those involved in the Hefajat mayhem in different parts of the country from March 26 to 28 have been identified and will be brought to justice.

"Everyone will be brought to justice, 22 people have been arrested already," the minister said while delivering a statement under Section-300 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.

Police were forced to fire shots to save their own lives during the violence. A total of 17 people died during the Hefajat mayhem, said the minister.

"After the Jummah prayer at Baitul Mukarram on March 26, Hefajat men started chaos and threw brickbats. They also spread rumours all over the country that worshippers at the mosque were under attack which led to more violence in Chattogram's Hathazari, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet and other places," Asaduzzaman said

Hefajat-e-Islam activists attacked the police station in Hathazari and police were forced to fire shots to save their lives which resulted in the death of four people, he said.

"Madrasa students in Brahmanbaria started vandalising various places. One died there. There are 600-700 madrasas there and it became a battlefield. They attacked police, police stations, police lines, and the DC office.

"Police and BGB had to fire shots due to the anarchic situation. Seven people died there on March 27. Five more were killed in violence on March 28," added the minister.

A man on horseback, who was photographed, during the mayhem has been identified and arrested from Narsingdi. Another who opened fire was also identified, the home minister said.

"Vandalism was carried out in Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj yesterday after Hefajat central leader Mamunul Haque was found with a woman at a resort there," added Asaduzzaman.

"The resort in which the Hefajat leader was found was also attacked. Some foreigners were staying there and police and BGB went there and saved them," said the home minister.

"We are investigating. We have made every effort to take legal action against those who perpetrated the violence," he added.