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Several policemen have been injured and scores of people detained by joint forces after riots broke out in Chattogram amid growing tensions over an individual’s Facebook post about a religious organisation, reports bdnews24.com.
Following the incident on Tuesday, joint forces launched an operation in the city’s Hazari Goli, where many Hindus live.
Around 3am on Wednesday, Kotwali Police Station chief Fazlul Quader Chowdhury told bdnews24.com: “Although the situation is calm right now, joint forces are still conducting operation in the Hazari Goli area.”
When asked how many people had been apprehended in the operation, OC Fazlul said: “Many have been detained, but we haven’t counted yet. We will verify later.”
However, an official, who wished to remain anonymous, said nearly 30 people have been detained so far over the incident.
Earlier, there were reports of clashes, acid attacks, and law-enforcing agencies running a pitched battled with the rioters.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police, or CMP, saidthat several policemen had been injured in the acid attacks.
Kazi Md Tarek Aziz, the additional deputy commissioner of metropolitan police [public relations], told bdnews24.com: “A post on Facebook regarding ISKCON, a religious organisation, inflamed tensions in the evening. Later, bricks were hurled when policemen arrived. The incident occurred when an angry mob went to Hazari Goli in search of the individual who made the post. Acid was thrown at the police there.”
Later, police rescued the individual who shared the post and took him into custody.
However, as tensions escalated, joint forces consisting of the members of the army and police went to Hazari Goli and brought the situation under control. The joint forces also charged batons at this time.
According to local witnesses, Osman Mollah, the owner of a shop in Hazari Gali Mia Shopping Centre, created a 'satire’ post about ISKCON, a Hindu organisation.It
inflamed tensions in the community, drawing a crowd outside his shop.
An angry mob of Hindus gathered in front of the market and surrounded the shop as tensions grew among the locals over the post.
As law enforcement attempted to control the situation, they faced resistance from local Hindu residents, who reportedly threw bricks and acid at them.
Law-enforcing agencies responded with baton charges and detained several individuals during the altercations.
To restore order, joint forces conducted further operations in Hazari Goli to apprehend those responsible for the attacks on police personnel.