Have footage of Chhatra Dal leader hacking policeman to death: Home Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday that they have footage of a Chhatra Dal leader hacking an on-duty policeman to death during an anti-government protest in the capital.

“We have footage of the killing,” he said after visiting the injured police personnel undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday evening.

“Everyone saw how they killed a policeman. Even after the policeman fell, a Chhatra Dal leader stabbed him and hit in his head. We have footage of that. The policeman is dead. This scene has touched everyone‍‍`s heart,” said the minister.

“The BNP activists threw brickbats like it was raining. It has tried to repeat the chaotic situation that it did in 2014,” he said.

“The BNP had announced that it would bring 10 lakh people to the rally today. Their (BNP) rally has spread to the chief justice‍‍`s residence. The violence started when the BNP attacked an Awami League rally there. They didn’t stop after the attack, they set two pickup vans on fire. They then entered the chief justice‍‍`s residence,” he said.

“The police cannot be passive at such moments. The police did their job in accordance with the law. They removed them,” the home minister said.

The minister said the BNP activists exploded cocktails and they brought sticks to the rally.

“They torched three vehicles…,” he said.

He said the police handled the situation with great patience.

He also said that the BNP leaders and activists set fire to Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.

“They set fire to ambulances and police installations. Some government buildings were also set on fire. They also set fire to the Judges Complex,” said Asaduzzaman.

He said the government would take action against those who set fire to vehicles and vandalised vehicles.