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Police have detained 343 persons, including a former member of parliament, during the ongoing 'Operation Devil Hunt' in Gazipur district and elsewhere across the country.
Seventy-nine of them were detained in Gazipur metropolitan area. On the other hand, district police detained 21 Awami League leaders and activists.
A total of 24 individuals were also detained in Rangamati district.
Police sources said former Awami League lawmaker from Sirajganj-06 constituency Chayan Islam, who had been in hiding for months, was arrested in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district.
The lawmen nabbed him from a residence in Matir Mosque area on Sunday night. He had reportedly been staying there with his wife for two months.
Chayan is facing multiple cases, including extortion and murder charges, in Shahjadpur under Sirajganj.
The Gazipur Metropolitan Police also arrested Anwara Sarker Anu, president of Gazipur Metropolitan Juba Mohila League, from Uttara area in Dhaka.
According to the sources, 79 individuals were detained in metropolitan areas under Sadar, Gacha, Basan, Pubail, Konabari, Kashimpur, Tongi East and Tongi West police stations.
Meanwhile, district police detained 21 people from Kaliakoir, Sreepur, Kapasia, and Kaliganj. The detainees include three from Kapasia, four from Kaliganj, five from Sreepur, three from Kaliakoir and six from Joydevpur police stations.
Alamgir Hossain, deputy commissioner (SB) of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police said 79 individuals were detained in operations under eight police stations in the metropolitan area.
Gazipur police super Dr Chowdhury Md Zaber Sadek spoke of taking legal measures against the detainees.
On the first day, 80 people, including leaders of Awami League and its affiliated organisations, were arrested from different parts of Gazipur district and metropolitan areas.
The government announced the operation following an attack on some activists of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in the residence of former minister AKM Mozammel Haque in Dakshinkhan, leaving 18 injured.
Both students and members of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee staged demonstrations demanding the arrest of those involved in the attack.
Meanwhile, home adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has assured that several committees have been formed to ensure no innocent persons are wrongfully punished during the drive, reports UNB.
"...those involved in criminal activities will be arrested. Even law-enforcement officials will not be exempted from the operation. It will continue until the country is free from criminals," he said on Monday.
The adviser shared the details while speaking to reporters after a meeting with Rajshahi divisional law-enforcement agencies held at the Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner's office.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com