Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali has instructed police to open fire on anyone throwing crude bombs at law enforcement personnel.
Several DMP officers, including a deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch, confirmed on Sunday that the commissioner issued this directive through wireless communication. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity.
When contacted regarding the matter, the DMP Commissioner stated, “I have said over the wireless that if anyone sets a bus on fire or attempts to cause loss of life by throwing crude bombs, they should be shot. This is already stated in our laws.”
The commissioner referenced sections 96 to 106 of the Penal Code, highlighting provisions regarding the right to personal defence.
According to these sections, “Nothing is an offence which is done in the exercise of the right of personal defence.”
This directive comes amid reports of consecutive crude bomb explosions from various locations in Dhaka and across the country. Police authorities have repeatedly asserted that leaders and activists of the currently inactive Awami League and its associated organisations are involved in these incidents.
Previously, on Tuesday, Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Hasib Aziz, in a verbal order via wireless sets, instructed CMP personnel to shoot on sight and “brush-fire” armed terrorists and weapon-bearing criminals.
That statement had generated significant discussion and criticism at the time.
The CMP Commissioner had said, “Armed terrorists and criminals are trying to drag Chattogram back into the era of darkness and ignorance. We will not allow this.
“If several armed terrorists need to be killed for this, we will kill them; but Chattogram will not be allowed to return to that era of darkness and ignorance. Chattogram will not become a safe haven for terrorism again. This is my order. We will do everything necessary for this.”
CMP officials reported that the Commissioner issued these instructions via wireless message in several rounds between 12:30pm and 1pm on Tuesday, during which he also stated, “No shotguns, not even China rifles – now SMGs will be on brush-fire mode.”
