Forty people have been arrested in Bangladesh in an operation launched following a violent attack on student activists during vandalism at the house of an Awami League leader on the outskirts of Dhaka that left several people injured, according to a media report.

Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus-led interim government ordered “Operation Devil Hunt” on Saturday after the attack on students and civilians in the Gazipur district on Friday night.

Superintendent of police of Gazipur, Chowdhury Jaber Sadek, said that 40 people were detained as part of the operation, United News of Bangladesh reported.

On Friday night, at least 14 individuals, all belonging to the mobs out to vandalise and destroy all signs of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party, were injured as they came under attack in Gazipur city’s Dakshinkhan area. The violence occurred during the attack on the residence of former liberation war affairs minister Mozammel Haque.

The injured were immediately taken to the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital for treatment. Later, some of them were referred to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

In protest, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens Committee held a day-long protest and rally in Gazipur. After the protest, a student was injured in a shooting by miscreants in front of the deputy commissioner’s office around 6.30pm.

Talking to the media on Sunday, chief adviser’s media secretary Shafiqul Alam said that a command centre, established to monitor the law and order situation intensively, has started working.

“The Operation Devil Hunt began yesterday...to coordinate the works of law enforcing agencies, the command centre is going to start its works from 6pm today,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.

Alam said the members of the law enforcement agencies and representatives of the armed forces will work at the command centre.

“We hope that following the establishment of the centre, the law and order situation will improve and a quick response can be carried out to any threat,” he said.

Anger at India

Asserting that the demolition of the residence of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the country’s internal matter, the interim government on Sunday said India’s remarks on the incident were “unexpected and unwarranted”.

Thousands of protesters on Wednesday set fire to the 32 Dhanmondi residence of Rahman in Dhaka.

India on Thursday voiced anguish over the destruction of the historic residence and said the “act of vandalism” should be strongly condemned.

“It is regrettable that the historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a symbol of the heroic resistance of the people of Bangladesh against the forces of occupation and oppression, was destroyed on February 5. All those who value the freedom struggle that nurtured Bangla identity and pride are aware of the importance of this residence for the national consciousness of Bangladesh,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.

Bangladesh foreign ministry on Sunday said the incident at Dhanmondi 32 pertains to the country’s internal affairs, state-run BSS news agency reported.