Army's statement over Kakrail clash

Bangladesh Army has said its intervention in Kakrail on Friday night was unavoidable after repeated attempts failed to defuse tensions between Jatiyo Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad leaders and activists.

The army said this in a statement posted on its Facebook page at 12:29am on Saturday (30 August).

The army said violence broke out around 8pm when activists of two political parties clashed in front of the Jatiyo Party office in Kakrail, leaving several people injured.

"Police were the first to arrive and tried to calm the situation, but as the clashes escalated and officers came under attack, the Army was called in to assist," reads the statement.

According to the army, law enforcers initially urged both sides to disperse peacefully and resolve their differences within the framework of the law. "However, despite repeated appeals, some activists ignored the calls, engaged in mob violence, and carried out organised attacks on security personnel."

The statement added that by around 9pm, the violence intensified further when protesters held a torch procession, hurled brickbats, and attempted to set fire to different structures. Public movement in Bijoynagar, Naya Paltan, and surrounding areas was severely disrupted,it said.

"After exhausting all peaceful means, the security forces were compelled to use force in the interest of public safety," the army said, adding that five of its personnel were injured during the operation.

Reaffirming the government's "zero tolerance" stance on mob violence, the army said it remains committed to taking a tough position against any such unrest in order to ensure public security and restore confidence among citizens.