Trained group behind attack at Ahmadiyya gathering: Panchagarh SP 

The police have admitted that the recent attack on a religious gathering of the Ahmadiyya community and their houses in Panchagarh Sadar upazila was carried out in a planned manner by a trained group to destabilise the country.

"It was a planned incident. Gunpowder and petrol were used to set the fire. Law enforcers discharged duty cautiously to avoid any fatalities during the incident," said Panchagarh Superintendent of Police (SP) SM Sirajul Huda at a press briefing at his office on Thursday.

On 3 March, a section of Muslim devotees clashed with police demanding the closure of a "Salana Jalsa" (religious event) of the Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh town, leaving at least two people killed and many others injured.

At the press briefing, the SP said that if the law enforcers had taken any prompt action, the extent of fatalities would have increased and the incident would have spread across the country.

More than 8,000 members of Ahmadiyya were attending the annual jalsa. At that time, the attack was launched by some 7,000-8,000 from all corners. During the incident, 170 members of police, 64 of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were on duty, he added.

Until Thursday, 165 people were arrested so far in 13 cases filed with Panchagarh Sadar and Boda police stations over the incident, said the SP.

Four of the cases were filed by police under the Special Powers Act and one under the Digital Security Act. As many as 10,000-11,000 unnamed people are among the accused, he said, adding that process was underway to file more cases.

"We have sufficient video and CCTV footage and still images of the incident. The accused are being detained by scrutinising this and based on detective information," he said.

It was possible to reduce the extent of damage in the incident due to the police activity, said Sirajul Huda, adding that law enforcement members including police and RAB were also injured in the sabotage in Panchagarh which was instigated by a vested quarter to destabilise the entire country.

"An office of traffic police was attacked and burnt. The attackers tried to burn an elderly policeman. At present the situation in Panchagarh is calm," he added.

At the press briefing, Panchagarh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) SM Shafiqul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Rakibul Islam, Panchagarh Sadar Police Station OC Abdul Latif Mia, among others, were present.