Police showed utmost patience at Press Club yesterday: home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said police showed utmost patience in the sudden attack on them in front of Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

"Yesterday we observed that a policeman was found alone in front of the Press Club and the protesters started beating him. Everyone saw it. Police showed utmost patience," he said this while speaking as the chief guest at a function on the occasion of Police Memorial Day 2021 at Police Staff College today.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Benazir Ahmed presided over the programme.

Police never entered Press Club premises but some activists hurled brickbats upon them and subsequently one or two policemen entered, said the minister.

"Police are working as a regulator to implement the government's vision of secured development. The police force is not only working to maintain law and order, but also to eliminate militancy," the home minister added.

At least 40 people, including cops, were injured in a series of clashes between the activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and police in front of the Press Club after police foiled a protest rally yesterday morning.

Chhatra Dal, the student wing of BNP, was to hold the rally in front of the Press Club at 10:30am to protest the authorities' decision to revoke the gallantry award of late president Ziaur Rahman, and to demand the repeal of the Digital Security Act and an investigation into the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed in custody.