Bangladesh Home Minister Kamal says crackdown may follow if needed

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said, if needed, there will be another round of crackdown to contain attacks on secular people, free thinkers, and non-Muslims.

He was interacting with journalists at an Iftar gathering in Dhaka University on Saturday.

"We have managed to apprehend suspects and culprits", he said, claiming success for the weeklong crackdown launched on June 10.

He said such actions were a continuous process and could be launched again if needed.

The operation led to the arrest of over 11,000 people including some 194 suspected militants.

He hoped with troublemakers behind bars, the Eid and Ramadan festivities would remain unsullied.

Reacting to BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi's claim that the government was targeting his party members in the operation, the minister said all arrests were in line with court orders.

The crackdown was a government response to increasing attacks on secular people, free thinkers, and non-Muslims.

It followed the murder of Chittagong police officer Babul Akhtar's wife.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the custodial death of Golam Faizullah Fahim, who was caught red-handed while attacking a Madaripur college teacher, the minister said that Fahim might have fallen to the bullets of his own men trying to protect their identities.