Attack on police vans was planned: Kamal

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said attacks and setting fire to police vans in front of BNP party office in city’s Nayapaltan were planned.

“To foil the upcoming parliamentary elections, BNP activists set fire to two police vehicles and vandalised several vehicles in front of BNP party office at Nayapaltan,” he said while talking to newsmen at his ministry office.

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BNP hatched conspiracy to foil the national elections by creating anarchy across the country, Kamal said, adding, “All culprits involved in the arson attacks will be brought to the book with the help of video footage.”

He said, “We think it was a planned attack. When people of the country are eagerly waiting for the national elections and the Election Commission announced schedule to hold elections in a free and fair manner, BNP swooped on police and set fire to their vehicles.”

Kamal said at least 16 law enforcers were injured in the attack, adding, “The BNP activities also tried to set fire to Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), but police managed to save it with sincere efforts.”

The minister said when BNP’s two candidates Mirza Abbas and major (retd) Akter came to the BNP party office for submitting nomination papers, two groups of their supporters involved in a clash.

Then, police urged them to keep one side of the road in front of the BNP party office free for vehicular movement, but the BNP activists refuted police’s request and hurled brickbats targeting them, Kamal added.