Hefazat mayhem: Over 2,000 sued in Chittagong

At least 2,000 people have been sued in connection with the attacks, vandalism, and arson during protests of Hefazat-e-Islam in Chittagong.

On Tuesday night, six cases – four by the police and two by the local land office– were filed at Hathazari police station.

They were lodged over the attack on the police station building, vandalism of the Assistant Commissioner's (Land) office and arson attack on a postal bungalow in Hathazari upazila.

Around 1,800 to 2,000 unidentified people were accused in one of the cases filed over the attack on Hathazari police station on Friday.

Meanwhile, in two other cases filed by the upazila land office, 200 to 400 unidentified persons were accused.

The number of accused in the rest of the cases could not be obtained, while another case was registered at Patia police station.

Chittagong Superintendent of Police (SP) SM Rashidul Haque said the cases were filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. “The people involved will be identified through the investigation.”

Last Friday, a group of Hefazat hardliners clashed with the police during protests against Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit outside the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka.

The same day, the Islamist group called a daylong general strike across the country for Sunday, protesting against the deaths of its members during clashes.

More clashes soon spread like wildfire across the country, leaving hundreds of people injured and many dead. There was also significant damage to government and private property.

A total of 14 Hefazat men – 10 in Brahmanbaria and four in Chittagong – have died in the clashes with law enforcement personnel since Friday.

600 sued in Munshiganj 

Meanwhile, police filed a case against some 600 people over a tripartite clash between members of Hefazat, Awami League and the police in Munshiganj's Sirajdikhan upazila.

Police until Wednesday arrested eight people in connection to the case filed Tuesday morning by Sirajdikhan police Sub-Inspector Rimon Hossain, said Sirajdikhan police Inspector (Investigation) Md Kamruzzaman.

Charged with obstruction of police work and assault, Obaidullah Kashemi, 40, and Md Abdullah, 35, sons of Hefazat's Nayeb-e-Ameer Madhupur Pir Abdul Hamid, were named in the case alongside 500 to 600 unnamed others.

On Friday, the clash at Sirajdikhan's Barashikarpur had left a number of people injured. 

Police had fired about 185 rounds of rubber bullets, bullets and teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

The same day, Hefazat activists attacked, vandalized and set fire to the houses of seven local leaders of Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League in different areas of Rajnagar union of the upazila.