United News of Bangladesh

A total of 743 people were arrested across the country as part of the ongoing Operation Devil Hunt in 24 hours till Thursday afternoon, according to the police headquarters. Besides, 914 others were arrested in connection with various warrants and ongoing cases during the same period in countrywide drives conducted by local police. 589 arrested in Operation Devil Hunt across country During this period, the joint forces also recovered one cartridge, one shutter gun and two sharp weapons.   Launched on the night of February 9, Operation Devil Hunt is aimed at curbing unrest and ensuring public safety across the country.  

The joint forces have arrested 566 people across the country under 'Operation Devil Hunt' on the fifth day of the operation, according to the police headquarters. This brings the total number of arrests under the operation to 3,415 as of Thursday afternoon, it said. Some 1099 of the arrests were in connection with different cases, it said. 16 arrested in Kamrangirchar ‘Block Raid’ During the fifth day's operations, the joint forces also recovered arms and ammunition including two foreign made pistols, two magazines, five bullets and two sharp weapons.  The government launched the nationwide security operation on Saturday night, ostensibly aiming to curb unrest and ensure public safety.       

The joint forces arrested 607 people across the country under 'Operation Devil Hunt' on what was the third day of the operation. It brings the total arrested on the first three days of the operation till Tuesday afternoon to 2258, said sources at the police headquarters. Some 1168 of the arrests till yesterday were in connection with different cases against them, it said. 343 arrested on second day of joint forces' 'Devil Hunt' During the third day's operations, the joint forces also recovered arms and ammunition including two pistols, one LG, one shutter gun, one pipe gun, two magazines, two rounds of bullets, five cartridges, thirteen knives, two machetes, six sharp weapons, two axes, one saw, three hammers, two plus, two sticks and two wood machineries. Earlier, the joint forces arrested 1,651 people on the first and 2nd day of the operation. The government launched the nationwide security operation on Saturday night, ostensibly aiming "to curb unrest and ensure public safety". The context in which it came about, however, suggested a particular focus on supporters and activists of the Awami League, including its banned student front, the Chhatra League. The operation was devised following Friday night's attack on students and civilians in Gazipur, a traditional den of the Awami League, where a group of students got ambushed when they attacked the residence of veteran AL leader, the ex-liberation war affairs minister and MP from Gazipur, Mozammel Huq. Cadres maintained by him and another AL stalwart of the region, ex-mayor Zahangir Alom, are said to have planned and executed the ambush, that left the students' movement shaken, as more than a dozen student activists had to be brought to DMCH for treatment, bleeding profusely from injuries inflicted with sharp knives Meanwhile, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday that the countrywide crackdown ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ would continue until the devils are eradicated.