Adviser to the interim government, Nahid Islam, expressed the view that it is not a coincidence that multiple incidents occurred on the same day, referring to clashes between students of poet Nazrul College, Sohrawardy College, and Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College.
He stated that there appears to be a conspiracy to disrupt the government`s work and its objectives, with both domestic and foreign influences involved. He mentioned that investigations are underway to identify those involved, and appropriate legal action will be taken according to the law.
He made these comments during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy on Hair Road in the capital on Monday.
Police weakness acknowledged in handling clashes
Nahid Islam admitted that the police were weak in handling the clashes, leading to the escalation of events. "We acknowledge that the police’s weakness in taking appropriate measures allowed such incidents to happen. Changes are being made within the police to make them more effective," he said.
He also mentioned that false propaganda led to people being brought from outside Dhaka to Shahbagh, and the organizer of this action had been arrested by the police.
Regarding media attacks, Nahid stated that the government would not tolerate any future assaults on the media. "If such attacks happen again, we will not tolerate them. We are not in favor of shutting down any media outlets," he emphasized.
Violence after student`s death in medical college
The unrest began after the alleged wrongful death of a student named Abhijit Howlader due to medical negligence, which led to extensive vandalism and looting by students of Mahbubur Rahman Molla College at the National Medical College and Shaheed Sohrawardy College in Old Dhaka.
The violence continued on Monday afternoon when students from seven colleges launched an attack and engaged in vandalism at Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College in Jatrabari, Dhaka. At least 35 people from both sides were injured during the clashes.
Despite announcements of impending attacks, questions arose regarding the police`s role in controlling the situation. Meanwhile, police at Sutrapur police station filed a case against the students of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College and other colleges, accusing them of vandalism and the theft of a magazine filled with bullets during the attack on Sohrawardy College.
The press conference was also attended by another advisor to the interim government, Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan, and the press secretary to the Chief Advisor, Shafiqul Alam.
Regarding the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das
In response to a question regarding the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary, said, "The DMP (Dhaka Metropolitan Police) will provide information about Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest. We have learned that there is a case against him at Kotwali police station."
On law and order situation
When asked about the law and order situation, Shafiqul Alam said, "We are not certain if there are any other motivations behind these events."
Legal actions being taken for clashes
Advisor Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan stated that legal action is being taken regarding the college clashes. He noted that despite efforts from law enforcement since the morning, the conflict could not be avoided. He assured that action would be taken against those responsible and that such incidents would not be tolerated in the future. He also mentioned that they were unable to confirm any fatalities as of yet.
Asif Mahmud further added, "The process of recruiting new police officers is underway, and bringing about change will take time. We call on everyone to be patient."
Use of rubber bullets by police
Regarding the use of force to control the situation, Asif Mahmud clarified that the police used rubber bullets when they were attacked. "The police and the army worked together to control the situation. We cannot comment on why these incidents occurred until an investigation is completed."
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