PAHELA BAISHAKH SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Kamal, DMP make contradictory claims
Contradictory remarks by the state minister for home and officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on the arrest of culprits, who harassed women sexually during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations on the Dhaka University campus, have caused a flurry of confusion among the people in general.
State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said law-enforcement agencies have already identified the culprits of the Pahela Baishakh incident and arrested some of them.
Similar actions will be taken against the rest of the culprits, he said while replying to a supplementary question from independent lawmaker Tahjib Alam Siddique (Jhenaidah-2) in parliament yesterday.
Weve arrested some of them...I can tell you those whove done this have been identified and some of them have already been handed over to law-enforcement agencies...others will face the same action, he told the House.
He also mentioned that the law-enforcement agencies have already conducted an inquiry into the regretful incident.
However, senior officials of the DMP said that they were not aware of any such arrests.
DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam yesterday said no one has been arrested in connection with that incident.
Deputy Commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB), Sheikh Nazmul Alam, also told the media that the DB was yet to make any arrest in connection.
Some 30-40 unruly youths assaulted about 20 women at different points near TSC on the DU premises and Suhrawardy Udyan gate as they had been there to celebrate the first day of Bangla New Year.
Later, police, taking the help of CCTV footage, identified some of the culprits and announced to give reward of Tk One lakh for the capture of eight of the identified culprits.
