30 identified over attack on police, says DMP chief

Dhaka: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia on Thursday said they have identified 30 people who were involved in Wednesday’s attack on police in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

‘We’ve already identified 30 people scrutinising photographs and video footage of both print and electronic media and the process is underway to identify the rest,’ he said while talking to reporters at his DMP headquarters office, reports the UNB.

The DMP chief claimed that they got sure that all of the attackers are leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations.

Two new police cars were torched and 23 law enforcers, including five police officers and two Ansar members, were injured during the attack, he said.

Describing the attack on police as ‘unexpected’, Asaduzzaman said, ‘Large sticks were used for the attack. We’re sure that the attack was a premeditated one. The attack was carried out to foil the upcoming national election and create an unstable situation.’

He said three cases were filed with Paltan Police Station and 60 people were arrested from the spot over the attack.

At least 50 people, including 23 policemen, were injured in a clash between BNP leaders and activists and law enforcers in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office on the third day of its nomination-form sale on Wednesday.

Police lobbed teargas shells, rubber bullets and charged baton on the BNP men while two police cars were torched during the clash.

However, both the government and BNP traded a blame game over the clash ahead of the national election billed for December 30.