200,000 rounds fired at Shapla Chattar: Porwar 

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar on Friday alleged that nearly 200,000 rounds of ammunition were used during the security operation at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka on May 5, 2013.

He made the claim while speaking at a discussion titled "Shaplar Smriti Shahidgantha" at the Bangladesh National Museum. The programme was organised by Shapla Smriti Sangsad.

Porwar alleged that electricity connections in the area had been disconnected before the operation began.

"After cutting off all electricity connections, around 200,000 rounds of ammunition and arms were used in a brutal manner," he said.

He also accused the then-government of attempting to deny casualties following the operation. Referring to remarks allegedly made by the former prime minister, the Jamaat leader claimed the authorities had initially maintained that no deaths had occurred. According to Porwar, ongoing investigations have so far found evidence of more than 72 deaths linked to the incident, while several people are still missing.

The Jamaat secretary general further said the events of May 5, 2013 and the July 2024 mass uprising were connected through what he described as a broader struggle against authoritarian rule in Bangladesh.

"The mass uprising was the outcome of a long struggle by the people of the country against authoritarianism," he said.

Addressing political leaders and activists, Porwar urged them not to abandon the ideals and commitments for which people had sacrificed their lives.

The Shapla Chattar operation remains one of the country's most debated political incidents, with differing accounts over the scale of casualties and the nature of the crackdown.