There could be a conspiracy behind the attack on Hero Alom: DB chief
Police have detained seven people so far in connection with the incident, including Gulshan Thana Sramik League Joint Secretary Sheikh Shahidullah Biplob
There could be a conspiracy behind the attack on Dhaka 17 by-polls candidate Ashraful Alam alias Hero Alom, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) Chief Harun-or-Rashid today.
"The attack may have been carried out to make the polls questionable," he said on Tuesday (18 July).
The DB chief also confirmed that an investigation is underway in connection with the attack which took place outside a polling station in Banani on Monday (17 July).
When asked if the police had any negligence, the DB chief said, "Election was free and fair. Policemen posted inside the voting centres can't go out of their jurisdiction as the ballot box could be staffed, or looted. But police from the very beginning acted professionally and promptly."
He said Hero Alom started chasing someone at first and he started the brawl.
"Policemen tried to calm him when he was chasing a person," he added.
When asked about the political identity of the attackers, Harun-or-Rashid said, "Everything will come out during the investigation. Whether the attackers wearing party badges was a plan to foil or demean the free and fair election at the eleventh hour, police will also investigate that."
DMP DB chief said there could be a conspiracy behind the attack on Hero Alom.
"He visited most of the polling centres with 50-60 men since morning. He even called me over the phone and informed me that everything was going fine till 3pm. At the last moment of the election, after 3pm he went to the Banani centre with his supporters and on-duty election officials denied to let him enter the centre with 60 men. He defied and entered. It could be a conspiracy to tarnish a free and fair election. His supporters were there, but none came to his rescue but they snapped photos. Why?," he added.
Police have detained seven people so far in connection with the incident, including Gulshan Thana Sramik League Joint Secretary Sheikh Shahidullah Biplob.
Hero Alom visited the polling centre on Banani's Bidyaniketan School and College grounds at around 3pm on Monday. According to locals at the scene, he was clicking pictures with fans, when a group of people came at him, saying this was not the time or place to shoot TikTok content. When Hero Alom retorted, they chased and assaulted him physically.
Law enforcers intervened, and Alom then managed to get away in a car.