Dhaka: Police personnel came under attack during a drive aimed at recovering government land allocated for a housing project for slum dwellers in the capital’s Pallabi area on Wednesday, leaving seven of them injured.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the drive began around 10:30am under the supervision of a magistrate assigned by the National Housing Authority, with assistance from Pallabi Police Station. The operation was conducted on government land acquired in Baunia Mouza, west of Block-G in Section-9 under Pallabi Police Station.
Police reported that the local Member of Parliament visited the slum area around 11:45am and spoke with residents before leaving the spot. Shortly afterwards, a group of local slum dwellers allegedly started hurling bricks and stones at police members, magistrates, and officials of the Housing Authority involved in the operation.
The magistrate and Housing Authority officials took shelter in a safe place, while several miscreants vandalised four buses requisitioned for police use by smashing their front and side windows. During the attack, seven police personnel sustained injuries.
Additional police forces were later deployed to the area, and five alleged attackers were detained from the scene. The eviction drive later resumed with police assistance and continued until 5pm.