Mujib residence demolishment: DMP says ‘tried to control situation’, journos say ‘saw no police after 9pm’
Many who covered Wednesday night's incident said no journalist had seen the DMP commissioner at the scene either
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said they tried to control the vandalism and demolishment of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence on Dhanmondi 32 Road in the capital yesterday night (5 February).
Journalists, on the other hand, had a different version.
"We tried to control the situation; we tried. I was there myself until late at night," DMP Commissioner Sheikh M Shazzat Ali said in response to questions from reporters regarding police action during the incident at the bus counter and e-ticketing system inauguration at the Uttara Azampur Kacha Bazar area today (6 February).
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However, journalists present on the occasion countered the DMP commissioner's statement, saying the police remained largely inactive and that there was no police presence in the area after 9pm last night.
Reporters from The Business Standard, who covered the overnight demolishment, and other media outlets also said they did not see any police presence on the western part of Mirpur Road - where the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum is located - after 9pm.
Many who covered Wednesday night's incident said no journalist had seen the DMP commissioner at the scene either, our correspondent reported.
A TBS correspondent saw a few people standing silently next to a police van on the main road of Mirpur Road around 8:30pm.
"However, after 9pm, they changed direction and went towards the bus counters on the Kalabagan side," he said.
