Dhaka Metropolitan Police today announced Tk 25,000 to Tk 1 lakh reward for information leading to the arrest of the anarchists in wake of violence amid nationwide nonstop blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-Party alliance.
“Identities of the informants will not be disclosed,” DMP Commissioner Mohammad Asaduzzaman Miah said in a press briefing at its media centre in the afternoon.
“Tk 1 lakh will be rewarded if anyone helps police in arresting arsonists or persons involved in vandalism red handed,” the commissioner said.
The DMP will give Tk 50,000 for information on crude or petrol bomb attackers while Tk 25,000 for helping the arrest of those involved in making or storing bombs or explosives.
Five days into the announcement of Tk 1 lakh bounty by the government for troublemakers’ arrest across the country, the commissioner declared the reward to ward off violence in Dhaka metropolitan areas.
Asaduzzaman said they already published leaflets with the cell numbers of police control room, detective control room and concerned police commissioners in this regard, which will be distributed soon.
The criminals, their instigators and masterminds, whoever they are, will not be spared, he added.
Replying to a question on what step they will take against BNP chief Khaleda Zia as her name had been mentioned in the first information report filed in connection with Jatrabari arson incident, the DMP commissioner said they must take steps in line with investigation and deposition.
The FIR filed with Jatrabari Police Station mentioned that the accused carried out the attack following Khaleda’s instruction to enforce a nationwide indefinite blockade on January 5.
At least 28 people were burnt in the arson attack on Friday.
The political situation of the country heated up once again, a year after the January 5 elections since the start of this year with the 10th polls’ first anniversary – the day ruling Awami League labels as “democracy saving day” and the BNP as “democracy killing day”.
On January 5, the BNP-led 20-party alliance called the nonstop blockade in response to Khaleda’s confinement in her Gulshan office in Dhaka.
Though BNP chief Khaleda Zia is now apparently free from confinement, she declared that their agitation would continue for a fresh participatory polls under a nonpartisan body.
The protests turned violent, with at least 30 people already killed and around 900 injured, mostly in arson attacks.
Source: The Daily Star
