Operation Devil Hunt

On February 8, 2025, at 1:30 PM{{Cite web |date=2025-02-08 |title=Protest erupts in Gazipur after attack on students |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/373125/anti-discrimination-rally-in-gazipur-demands-for |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-02-08 |title=Hasnat-Sarjis lead road blockade protesting attack in Gazipur |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/373126/hasnat-and-sarjis-join-protest-in-gazipur |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} (BST; 7:30 AM UTC), the Dhirashram area of Gazipur District would erupt in protests led by the Anti-discrimination Students Movement over the beatings of at least 20 students last night by people that are alleged to have connections to the Awami League.

At around 4:00 PM (BST; 10:00 AM UTC), the government would launch the nationwide "Operation Devil Hunt" in compliance with the protesters.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-08 |title='Operation Devil Hunt' launched across Bangladesh after attack in Gazipur |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/373131/operation-devil-hunt-is-being-conducted-in |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} At around 6:00 PM (BST; 12:00 PM UTC), Sarjis Alam would be informed that so far 16 individuals had been arrested,{{Cite web |title=Sarjis: Arrests must be made by tonight, or we oppose home ministry, police |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/373141/sarjis-arrests-must-be-made-by-tonight-or-we |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} Alam would then give a speech threatening the government with a second revolution if they attack the protesters and that if the government fails to arrest the perpetrators by night, then they will have to face the protesters once more.

Anti-discrimination Students Movement launched an attack on the house of AKM Mozammel Haque, former Minister of Liberation War Affairs in the cabinet of Sheikh Hasina, as a part of the Bulldozer March.{{Cite news |date=8 February 2025 |title=15 injured in 'attempts to vandalise Mozammel Haque's Gazipur house' |url=https://www.newagebd.net/post/Country/257441/15-injured-in-attempts-to-vandalise-mozammel-haques-gazipur-house |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=New Age (Bangladesh)}}{{Cite news |title=Bangladesh: Clashes erupt during Bulldozer Program in Gazipur, 15 injured |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/bangladesh-clashes-erupt-during-bulldozer-program-in-gazipur-15-injured/ |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=The Tribune |language=en}} During this demonstration, a person at a local mosque announced people were attacking the former Minister's home, leading locals to counter-attack the demonstrators, causing 15 to be injured, and one of them later died in hospital.{{Cite web |date=12 February 2025 |script-title=bn:গাজীপুরে সাবেক মন্ত্রী মোজাম্মেলের বাড়িতে হামলায় আহত একজনের মৃত্যু |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/capital/71fmagdeyk |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=Prothom Alo |language=bn}} It was part of a wave of attacks targeting homes of Awami League leaders, while chanting "Delhi or Dhaka — Dhaka, Dhaka" and slogans against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's cult of personality.{{Cite news |agency=PTI |date=6 February 2025 |title=Bangladesh protesters target homes of Awami League leaders in fresh wave of vandalism |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladesh-protesters-target-homes-of-awami-league-leaders/article69187508.ece |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} The home of former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Dhanmondi 32 no. residence, was destroyed and the personal home of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sudha Sadan, was burned down.{{Cite news |title=Why a Bangladesh mob burned down home of independence icon Mujibur Rahman |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/7/why-a-bangladesh-mob-burned-down-home-of-independence-icon-mujibur-rahman |access-date=8 February 2025 |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=After Dhanmondi 32, Hasina's residence Sudha Sadan set ablaze |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/dhaka/372935/after-dhanmondi-32-hasina-s-residence-sudha-sadan |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} The home of former Minister Zahid Ahsan Russel, along with the homes of his family members associated with the Awami League were also attacked by protesters in Gazipur. A mural of Ahsanullah Master, Zahid's father, was also destroyed during this attack.{{Cite news |date=7 February 2025 |title=Former state minister Zahid Ahsan Russel's house vandalised in Gazipur |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/former-state-minister-zahid-ahsan-russels-house-vandalised-gazipur-1062881 |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=The Business Standard |language=en}}

The Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gave 24 hours to detain those who attacked the students at home of Haque.{{Cite news |title=Jatiya Nagorik Committee issues 24-hour ultimatum for arrests in Gazipur |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/373139/24hr-ultimatum-to-arrest-those-involved-in-attack |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} They demanded the cancellation of the registration of Awami League and confiscation of the properties of its leaders. The training secretary of Gazipur Metropolitan unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Haider Ali, called for the detention of the attackers as well. They called for removing the Adviser of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and civil and police officers in Gazipur District.{{Cite news |date=8 February 2025 |title=Home adviser's resignation, police commissioner and DC's removal demanded |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/s0gc48k4dy |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}} Lt. Gen. (retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said, "No one involved in the attack on the students will be spared. We are taking legal action against them. All responsible for the attack will be exposed to justice," at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital while visiting the injured.{{Cite news |date=8 February 2025 |title=None will be spared involved in attack on students in Gazipur: Home adviser |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/none-will-be-spared-involved-attack-students-gazipur-home-adviser-1063801 |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=The Business Standard |language=en}} The office-in-charge of the local police station was suspended, and the commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, Nazmul Karim Khan, offered his apology.{{Cite news |date=8 February 2025 |title= |script-title=bn:গাজীপুরে হামলার ঘটনায় ওসি প্রত্যাহার, ক্ষমা চাইলেন মহানগর পুলিশ কমিশনার |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/s1nh44d0v9 |access-date=8 February 2025 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}

On 9 February, 83 people, including Awami League politicians and members, were detained in the Gazipur District.{{Cite news |title=Operation Devil Hunt: 83 held in Gazipur |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/373181/operation-devil-hunt-40-held-in-gazipur |access-date=9 February 2025 |work=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} In total, 1,308 people were arrested across Bangladesh.{{Cite news |title=Operation Devil Hunt: 1,308 arrested nationwide |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/373248/operation-devil-hunt-1-308-arrested-nationwide |access-date=9 February 2025 |work=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}} 343 more people were arrested from various parts of Bangladesh the following day.{{Cite news |date=11 February 2025 |title=1,521 arrested, 343 in Operation Devil Hunt |url=https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/257664/1521-arrested-343-in-operation-devil-hunt |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=New Age (Bangladesh)}} 607 people were detained on the third day, taking a total number of detainees to more than two thousand.{{Cite web |last=প্রতিবেদক |first=নিজস্ব |date=11 February 2025 |title= |script-title=bn:অপারেশন ডেভিল হান্টে আরও ৬০৭ জন গ্রেপ্তার, তিন দিনে গ্রেপ্তার দুই হাজারের বেশি |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/xgijrn3lfq |access-date=11 February 2025 |website=Prothom Alo |language=bn}} A total of 11,313 people were arrested in the ongoing operation in February.

By March, more than 12 thousand people were detained across Bangladesh.{{Cite web |date=1 March 2025 |title=569 more held under 'Operation Devil Hunt' |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/569-more-held-under-operation-devil-hunt-1081656 |access-date=2 March 2025 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}

The Jatiya Party (E) accused that the operation was a "suppression of dissent" and alleged that their leaders were being charged on false charges while their homes were being attacked and destroyed.{{Cite news |title='Suppression of dissent' under way in name of Devil Hunt, says GM Quader |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/1fec2483b2b0 |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=Bdnews24.com |language=en}}

• Operation Clean Heart
• Bangladesh post-resignation violence (2024–present)

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Category:2025 in Dhaka

Category:Battles in 2025

Category:February 2025 in Bangladesh

Category:History of the Awami League

Category:Military history of Dhaka

Category:History of Bangladesh (1971–present)

Category:Yunus interim government