Operation Devil Hunt: 1,308 Arrested, Majority Linked to AL Activists

Operation Devil Hunt: Over 1,300 Arrested, Mostly AL Activists

At least 1,308 individuals, primarily Awami League (AL) leaders and activists, were arrested nationwide on Sunday—the first day of Operation Devil Hunt, launched to restore law and order.

Among those detained, 274 were apprehended in metropolitan areas, while 1,034 were arrested in other regions between midnight Saturday and Sunday noon, according to police headquarters. Officials confirmed that most of the detainees were AL members but did not provide specific arrest numbers for individual cities and districts.

The government initiated Operation Devil Hunt on Saturday following a violent attack on students and civilians in Gazipur on Friday night. The attack, which targeted those active in the July-August mass uprising, left 15 students injured.

To enhance monitoring, the government established a command center on Sunday to oversee the country’s law and order situation.

Speaking at an event in Dhaka, Home Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that the operation would continue until those attempting to destabilize the nation were apprehended. He assured that many of those responsible for the Gazipur attack had already been arrested, with others soon to follow.

Since the operation's announcement, numerous AL leaders across the country have gone into hiding to evade arrest.

Gazipur Arrests and Legal Actions

The unrest in Gazipur escalated on Friday evening when members of Students Against Discrimination allegedly attempted to attack the residence of former Liberation War Affairs Minister and AL leader Mozammel Haque.

At least 83 individuals, mostly AL activists, were arrested in Gazipur city and its upazilas during the operation, according to police reports. A case was filed with Gazipur Sadar police station on Sunday, naming 239 individuals and accusing an additional 200–300 unidentified persons. By Sunday afternoon, 34 of the accused had been detained.

Police confirmed that no case had yet been filed regarding the shooting of Students Against Discrimination member Mobassher Hossain outside the Gazipur deputy commissioner’s office on Saturday.

Arrests Across Other Districts

In Chattogram, police arrested 19 AL leaders and activists, while in Thakurgaon, 15 were detained.

A joint forces team arrested five individuals in Hatia, Noakhali, while in Khagrachhari’s Guimara upazila, four activists of the banned student group Bangladesh Chhatra League were taken into custody.

In several areas of Gazipur city, including Dhirashram and Dakshingram, many AL leaders, activists, and their families fled their homes, leaving only elderly women behind following Friday’s attack.

Command Center and Security Measures

A newly formed command center, comprising law enforcement personnel and representatives from the Armed Forces, has been set up to monitor security and respond swiftly to threats.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam expressed hope that the command center would help stabilize the situation.

At a press briefing, Home Ministry Senior Secretary Nasimul Gani stated that police were leading Operation Devil Hunt, with support from the Bangladesh Army. He mentioned that multiple plans were in place to address the current situation, with this operation being one of the key strategies.

Background and Ongoing Tensions

Since Wednesday, multiple attacks have been reported on AL offices, leaders’ residences, and murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina. The chaos erupted after social media groups called for a “Bulldozer Procession” to demolish the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi 32, following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India.

Additionally, a countrywide drive to recover illegal firearms began on September 4. According to the Home Ministry, 5,818 weapons belonging to law enforcement were looted during the July-August uprising and the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s fall on August 5. So far, joint forces have recovered 4,358 of the 5,750 missing firearms.