GAZIPUR, Feb 9, 2025 (BSS) - The joint forces comprising army, police and RAB have arrested 65 leaders and activists of Awami League from Gazipur district and metropolitan areas during the ongoing ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ till this morning.

The joint forces arrested 40 leaders and activists of Awami League from different areas under five Thanas of the district and 25 others from seven police stations under Gazipur metropolitan areas from last midnight until this morning.

Dr Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gazipur district told BSS that they arrested 40 people from Sripur, Kaliganj, Kapasia, Kaliakoir and Joydevpur Thanas of the district during the operation. All the arrested persons are the leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organizations of those five upazilas, he added.

Meanwhile, sources in the Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) told BSS that the joint forces arrested three people each from Tongi West, Tongi East and Pubail Thanas, five from Gachha, eight from Basan, two from Konabari and four from Kashimpur police stations during the operation. 

Saiful Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kashimpur Police station said of the arrestees four persons were identified by local people as Awami League activists. They are Abdur Rouf Arif, convener of Awami Swechchhasebak League, Dhaka district north unit, Md Shahidullah and Momin Bhandari, both are vice presidents of AL ward number-1 of Gazipur metropolitan city and Tanjid Khan, joint convener of recently banned Chhatra League ward number-1. 

The government has launched a special drive named ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ from Saturday to arrest the terrorists and recover illegal arms from the country.