2,000 unnamed sued in 4 cases, 30 detained

Four cases have been filed against around 2,000 unidentified people over clashes, vandalism and arson during a Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) eviction drive in Mirpur-10 on Wednesday.

Police have so far detained 30 people in connection with the incidents and are conducting drives to arrest others involved, officials said.

Of the four cases, three were filed with Mirpur Model Police Station and one with Kafrul Police Station.

Mirpur Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman said the DNCC filed a case over the burning of vehicles, while police filed another over the attack on law enforcers. The traffic police filed the third case.

Each of the three cases names between 400 and 500 unidentified people as accused, he said.

Kafrul Police Station OC Mohammad Saiful Islam said the DNCC filed another case over the burning of a city corporation vehicle, naming 400 to 500 unidentified people as accused.

The cases were filed following clashes that erupted during the eviction drive, which began around 9:30am on Wednesday from the Mirpur-10 roundabout towards Hope Market to clear illegally occupied footpaths. The operation was led by DNCC Executive Magistrate Marufa Begum Neli.

During the operation, a fire broke out while floating shops beneath the Baitul Quddus Jame Mosque Market near Hope Market were being removed. Local shopkeepers and eyewitnesses said an electrical wire was torn during the operation, triggering the fire.

Five shops were gutted. Two units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence brought the blaze under control after around 15 to 20 minutes.

The incident triggered tension as angry hawkers and shopkeepers allegedly attacked DNCC personnel. Police later arrived at the scene, leading to clashes between law enforcers and protesters.

The hawkers hurled brick chips at police, who responded by firing tear-gas shells. Several police personnel were injured during the confrontation.

Three DNCC vehicles were set on fire during the clashes, while a police vehicle was vandalised. Traffic movement on the Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-14 road was disrupted for some time. Several media workers also reportedly faced obstruction while photographing and recording the incident.

The DNCC resumed the eviction drive in the afternoon, removing floating shops from both sides of the footpaths between Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-13.