One man was shot dead and several injured when security personnel repulsed an attack Monday on a Bangladesh Air Force base in the southeastern beach town of Cox's Bazar, officials said.
The Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) directorate of the defence ministry said miscreants launched a sudden attack on the Air Force Base near Cox's Bazar's Samiti Para around noon.
“Bangladesh Air Force is taking necessary actions in this regard,” an ISPR statement said.
Deputy Commissioner of the beach district, Mohammad Salahuddin, said: "Shihab Kabir, 30, a local trader, was shot dead during the clash and several others were injured."
The official said a thorough investigation would be conducted into the cause of the attack.
Reports, however, said the incident occurred due to an airport expansion project requiring the relocation of people in the neighbourhood, a proposal opposed by some people.
The attack occurred hours after Home Affairs Adviser, retired Lieutenant General M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, in a pre-dawn press conference reiterated the government's commitment to maintaining law and order.
He told the media at his residence in Dhaka at around 3 am on Monday that “cohorts” of the ousted Awami League regime of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina were out to destabilise the country, but “in no way they will be spared”.
“We will ensure that terrorists cannot stand anywhere and prevent crimes at any cost,” he said, adding that law enforcement agencies were asked to strengthen their patrolling across the country.
Bangladesh's security forces have arrested over 8,600 people in a two-week crackdown named “Operation Devil Hunt” that targeted gangs allegedly linked with the ousted Hasina government.
The arrests come amid growing concerns about rising crime levels, particularly in Dhaka, with police saying the number of robberies had doubled since January last year.
"Operation Devil Hunt will continue and we won't let the perpetrators sleep or rest. I have ordered the forces to intensify patrolling," Chowdhury told reporters.
Chowdhury's emergency briefing comes as students, who led the July-August 2024 uprising eventually toppling the Awami League regime, expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation with many demanding his resignation.
