Special report taking a critical look at Hefazate Islam's claims of massacre at Shapla Chattar on May 6, 2013 and Odhikar's role in perpetuating an otherwise baseless myth

1. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 1 of 16
Lies and Propaganda:
Hefazate Islam, Shapla Chattar and Odhikar’s Report
It has been a year since activists of Hefazate Islam were driven out from Shapla Chattar in the
middle of the night by law enforcers in the early hours of May 6, 2013. The raid on that night
became the topic of much discussion and intrigue as immediately following the incident, social
media and other online platforms became inundated with claims of a state sponsored
“massacre”, whereby it was suggested that law enforcers killed at least 2500 people! It did not
take much time to know that the images being disseminated were fake, borrowed from
elsewhere or doctored1
. Nonetheless, Hefazate Islam still sticks to its story; although, even after
a year, they are yet to compile and/or publish a ‘casualty list’2
.
The only independent source which even remotely corroborated the story of Hefazate Islam was
a Report by a human rights organization named Odhikar3
. On 10 June 2013, the rights body
published a report titled “Assembly of Hefazate Islam and Human Rights Violations”4
(hereinafter referred to as the “Report”) after purportedly “conducting a fact-finding drive” in
which they concluded that 61 Hefazate Islam activists were killed by law enforcers during the
late night drive at Shapla Chattar.
The Report gave a very specific number of people as being killed by law enforcers during the
drive, which completely contradicts the version stated by police. In a press conference held on
May 8 2013, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed told the media that 11
people, including one policeman, died during the May 5-6 unrest. However, they added that
none of the people died during the drive itself, but throughout the day in various places of Dhaka
and Narayanganj, as Hefazate Islam activists clashed with law enforcers and carried out
widespread vandalism and carnage in partnership with their radical allies Jamaat E Islami.
1
http://bdfactcheck.com/2013/05/23/5th-may-2013-how-to-spread-rumors-of-genocide-with-false-pictures/
2
“Hefazat yet to come up with a casualty list”, the Dhaka Tribune, 5 May 2014
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/may/05/hefazat-yet-come-%E2%80%98casualty-list%E2%80%99]
3
http://odhikar.org/
4
http://odhikar.org/assembly-of-hefazate-islam-bangladesh-and-human-rights-violations/

2. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 2 of 16
After carrying out investigations, the Daily Star, Bangladesh’s highest circulated English
language newspaper5
, concluded: “Contrary to such rumours which are being spread through
social media, blogs and word of mouth, The Daily Star reporters who were present throughout
Hefajat’s demonstration till the law enforcers completely drove away the activists at 5 am
Monday found 13 persons to have died during or after Sunday’s violence. Of them, one died of
heart attack. The 13 persons did not all die at Shapla Chattar, but in different adjacent places
where violence erupted from Sunday afternoon”6
.
This is what an eye witness BBC Bangla journalist Kallol Kadir had to say about the law
enforcement drive:
“The law enforcers started the raid to clear away Hefazat activists at first hour of Monday (6 May
2013). Members of three forces: RAB, police and BGB started towards Shapla Chattar at 1:00
am. I joined them within 15 minutes. I saw that the entire area was cordoned off and everyone
was asked to leave. But nobody left at first. The cops started firing hundreds of blank rounds
and tear shells. Sound grenades were used too. It is at this point that Hefazat activists started to
disperse. Many of them took refuge in the buildings of Motijheel. At dawn, the law enforcers
brought them down and assisted them to leave the area. I myself saw many Hefazat activists
lining up and leaving with their hands over their heads. Some of them were injured and were
requiring assistance to leave.
The makeshift stage of Hefazat was at that point under police’s control. Besides the stage on a
van was the polythene clad corpses of 4 people. Other journalists saw those corpses along with
me. But police and Hefazat activists leaving the area could not confirm who they belonged to. A
few thousand law enforcers were at Shapla Chattar till morning and were occasionally firing
blank shots. The entire Motijheel area had a war torn look, bearing the brunt of yesterday’s
daylong violent agitation by Hefazat. Only cops and journalists could be seen plying the streets
at that time. Nobody was arrested at the time of clearing Shapla Chattar. When asked by BBC,
5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Star_%28Bangladesh%29
6
Sharier Khan, “Shapla Chattar and Act of Houdini”, May 8, 2013 [http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/shapla-
chattar-act-of-houdini/]

3. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 3 of 16
Lt. Colonel Ziaul Hasan explained that they could have arrested them but they only wanted
them to leave, and hence did not take a hardline approach”7
.
One of the sources claimed by Odhikar for their report was a list of 16 deceased people
collected from the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. However, investigation by Daily
Star found that at least three of those corpses in the morgue were sent from another district,
Narayanganj8
.
Apart from the Daily Star, other major newspapers also carried out their own investigations into
the claims made in Odhikar’s Report. One such leading daily, Samakal carried a special report
titled “Odhikar’s Report Made Up” on 30 August, 20139
. After collecting the list of deceased,
their investigation revealed:
i) 19 people’s identity does not exist;
ii) 6 people killed in separate incidents added to the Shapla Chattar deceased list;
iii) 5 people have been named twice;
iv) 3 people listed as deceased found to be alive and well.
In August 2013, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) organized a press conference and made their
findings on the Odhikar Report public after the list was recovered from searching the rights
body’s offices10
. They found that that the list has 60 names. The 10th entry in the list is empty.
7
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bengali/news/2013/05/130506_pg_motijheel_operation.shtml
8
“Odhikar Report on Hefajat Deaths: Questions Aplenty”, M Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Star, September 1, 2013
[http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/questions-aplenty/]
9
The news can be viewed online @
http://www.samakal.com.bd/print_edition/details.php?news=13&action=main&option=single&news_id=364449&pub_
no=1512&view=archiev&y=2013&m=08&d=30
10
“Odhikar disowns list made public”, the Dhaka Tribune, 2 September 2013
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/sep/02/odhikar-disowns-list-made-public-police]

4. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 4 of 16
There were names of three people who Odhikar claimed had been killed but were actually alive.
It contained the names of five other people who were killed in Narayanganj and Chittagong. Five
other names were mentioned twice. The first name in the list was that of Siddiqur Rahman, the
driver of a bus requisitioned by police, who was actually killed by Hefazate Islam activists. The
57th name was Kamal Uddin Khan, manager of General Insurance Company, who actually died
of cardiac arrest on that night.
19 people on that list never existed, viz., Masum Billah of Narayanganj, serial 12; Lutfor
Rahman of Mymensingh, serial 13; Moulana Md Hasan of Narayanganj; Hafej Lokman Hossain
of Narayanganj, serial 29; Al Amin of Narayanganj, serial 30; Moulana Jubair of Munsiganj,
serial 31; Shafiullah Badal of Gazipur, serial 32; Sirajul Islam of Mymensingh, serial 34; Babu
Gazi of Shariyatpur, serial 35; Md Sohel of Comilla, serial 39; Sekandar Ali Fakir alias Ebne Ali
Maijuddin Fakir of Bogra, serial 40; Md Sultan of Jatrabari, serial 45; Rajeeb of Demra, serial
46; Moulana Mutiar Rahman of Comila, serial 49; Sbbir of Demra, serial 53; Taher of Demra,
serial 54; Abu Sayeed of Demra, serial 55; Jalal Ahmed of Shariyatpur, serial 60; and Sirajul
Islam of Comilla, serial 61.
Lastly, one of the premier TV channels of Bangladesh, Ekattor TV carried a series of special
reports on the carnage of 5 and 6 May 2013 and Hefazat’s claims of “massacre”. In them, they
showed overwhelming evidence of how the myth of massacre was propagated by Hefazate
Islam and other opposition parties hostile to the current regime. The programmes can be viewed
online at:
Watch Online:
Somikoron Hefajat Islam Ep 01 Part 01: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyDWt-I0sno
Shomikoron Hefajat Islam EP 01 Part 02: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PNdkmG2oes
Shomikoron Hefajat Islam Ep 02 Part 01: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxjZeSh03hg
Shomikoron Hefajat Islam Ep 02 Part 02: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37MaA4HONqs

5. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 5 of 16
Apart from the contradictory and often blatantly untrue claims about the dead, there are several
other aspects of the Report which bring its credibility, motive, and reliability into question:
First, cops’ lives do not matter to Odhikar: A Daily Star correspondent witnessed Hefazate Islam
radicals attacking a police officer with bricks near Alico building in Motijheel, killing him on the
spot. However, the Report makes no mention of that11
;
Second, there was clear misrepresentation about Hefazate Islam and its objectives: The Report
describes Hefazate Islam as a “people’s platform”, a “non political and socio-cultural
organization”. It described the outfit’s objective as promoting “social dialogue to dispel
prejudices that affect community harmony and relations”. This could not be further from the
truth. Both description and objectives have been deliberately misrepresented to give a
perception which is simply untrue.
In reality, Hefazate Islam is a loose coalition of radical Islamist organizations who formed the
outfit primarily to demand “death penalty” or “hanging” of bloggers and online activists who they
claim have acted against Islam, and also to implement their so-called 13 points demand. Even
as recently as April 10, 2014, Hefazate Islam Chief Shah Ahmed Shafi reiterated their resolve to
cleanse Bangladesh of atheists and apostates12
. Their outfit is known for harbouring elements
with direct and/or indirect links to international terrorism too13
.
Their 13 points include demands to enact law providing death penalty for blasphemy; declaring
Ahmadiyas as non Muslims (something supported by Jamaat E Islami too); banning free mixing
between members of opposite gender in public; a ban on erecting sculptures or statues of any
kind throughout the country; cancelling the women’s policy (which gives women equal status in
11
“Odhikar Report on Hefajat Deaths: Questions Aplenty”, M Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Star, September 1, 2013
[http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/questions-aplenty/]
12
“Shafi: Allah’s Bangladesh not for non believers”, the Dhaka Tribune, April 11, 2014
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/apr/11/shafi-atheists-cannot-live-bangladesh]
13
“Bangladesh Islamist militants maintain links with Al Qaeda”, the Dhaka Tribune, February 17, 2104
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/feb/17/bangladesh-islamist-militants-maintain-links-al-qaeda]

6. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 6 of 16
all spheres of life with men) etc. It does not take much brain to understand that these demands
have no place in a modern, progressive and pluralist society.
In particular one should also be aware of the outfit’s chief’s views on women. According to
nonagenarian Shafi, women14
:
i) Should not study beyond class 4/5
ii) Should not work outside;
iii) Should stay at home and guard their husband’s furniture;
iv) Are tamarind who will, if possible, make any man lust after her15
In order to get a clear view as to the workings of Hefazate Islam pre-May 5/6, the following
activities of the outfit can be considered as examples:
a) Assault of female journalists on April 6, 2013 simply for the crime of trying to cover a
Hefazate Islam rally while being women16
!
b) Massacre of Awami League activists in Fatikchhari, Chittagong on April 11, 201317
;
c) Attack on Gonojagoron Moncho at Shahbag on April 6, 201318
;
d) Warning to implement Sharia, otherwise taking over Bangabhaban (official residence of
his Excellency the President of the Republic of Bangladesh)19
;
14
http://bdlawpolgov.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/what-the-world-needs-to-know-about-hefazate-islam/
15
“Sermon Shafi Style”, the Daily Star, 11 July, 2013 [http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/sermon-shafi-style/]
16
“Hefajat’s attacks on female journalists: Journos demand punishment”, the Daily Star, April 10, 2103
[http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/journos-demand-punishment/]
17
http://bdlawpolgov.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/remembering-the-mindless-fatikchhari-violence/
18
“Hefazat E Islam clash with opponents”, the Dhaka Tribune, April 7, 2013
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/apr/07/hefazat-e-islam-clash-opponents]
19
“Hefazate Islam threatens to take over Bangabhaban”, April 28, 2013
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2013/apr/28/hefazat-e-islam-threatens-take-over-bangabhaban]

7. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 7 of 16
e) Widespread destruction throughout May 5 afternoon, including the destruction of 800
small and medium shops in Baitul Mokarram and adjoining areas. Offices of banks,
political parties and government bodies were also not spared20
. In fcat, the people who
claim to be the vanguards of Islam themselves burnt numerous Quran and other Islamic
books21
;
And so on.
Third, there was gross misrepresentation regarding the Shahbag Movement: In the second
paragraph, the Report says that Hefazate Islam’s protest was “instigated by some bloggers and
activists that mobilised at the Shahbagh movement”, and who were making “vulgar, humiliating,
insulting and provocative remarks in the social media sites and blogs against Islam, Allah and
Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (pbuh).”
In reality the Shahbag Movement was a spontaneous movement which sprang up in February
2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh to demand the highest punishment for those who committed crimes
against humanity during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 197122
.
The accusations that the leadership of the movement were “anti-Islam” and involved in
deliberate derogation of religion online have no basis whatsoever in reality and was first raised
and propagated as part of a smear campaign launched against the movement by Jamaat E
Islami Bangladesh’s student wing, Islami Chatro Shibir (the outfit which recently won the
20
“800 small, medium shops burnt, damaged in Hefazat rally”, the Dhaka Tribune, May 8, 2013
[http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/may/08/800-small-medium-shops-burnt-damaged-hefazat-rally]
21
“Hifazat burns Quran, Hadith in blind rage”, bdnews24.com, 6 May, 2013
[http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/05/06/hifazat-burns-quran-hadith-in-blind-rage]
22
“Huge Bangladesh Rally Seeks Death Penalty for War Crimes”, 8 February 2013 [http://www.bbc.com/news/world-
asia-21383632]

8. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 8 of 16
accolade for being the 3rd23
most active non state armed group of 2013 according to IHS Jane’s
Global Terrorism & Insurgency Attack Index 24
).
Fourth, Odhikar’s bias for zealots and/or against atheists: The Report at one point states: “In
some cases the Prophet was portrayed as a pornographic character, which infuriated people of
all walks of life.” The Report then clearly lied by stating that the government took no action
regarding these allegations. Quite the contrary, in response to such allegations, the government
took all possible steps as was reasonably practicable keeping in mind the need to preserve
freedom of expression online.
Nearly a dozen blogs have been shut down by the regulatory authority, Bangladesh
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC). 4 bloggers were arrested allegedly for
hurting religious sentiments. Fanatics belonging to the same ideological mindset as Hefazate
Islam killed one blogger and injured another. The Report remains conspicuously silent on all
these matters.
Fifth, Odhikar sees dead witnesses at being more at risk than live ones: The Report didn’t give a
full list of the victims on the plea of security of their family members. When contacted by the
government and the media for a full list, they stuck with their justification. However, it is
interesting to note that they did reveal the identities of 3 people and the identities of 69 injured
people, none of whom have come under any risk since then till date.
Sixth, Odhikar misrepresented the statement of an eye witness journalist: According to the
Report, Odhikar interviewed an unnamed photojournalist who they claimed saw 16 bodies in
and around Shapla Chattar on May 5 night. They claimed that the said journalist first saw four
bodies wrapped in white cloth near the Hefajat stage, two near Modhumita Cinema Hall, seven
23
http://press.ihs.com/press-release/aerospace-defense-terrorism/global-terrorism-insurgency-attacks-rapidly-
increase-five-
24
ISH Jane’s Defence Weekly is one of the leading defence publications in the world
[http://www.ihs.com/products/janes/defence-business/news/defence-weekly.aspx]

9. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 9 of 16
at Sonali Bank premises and one each at a petrol pump and in a pick-up van. They also claimed
that he said seeing two persons carrying a body.
The 4 dead bodies on stage were actually from the violence committed by Hefazate Islam and
Jamaat Shibir throughout the day in adjacent areas of Dhaka. Odhikar maliciously tried to put
those deaths on the late night law enforcement drive. When the newspaper Daily Star actually
managed to get in touch with the photojournalist whose name is Naim Parvej Apu of Banglar
Chokh, he said the Odhikar report did not mention a lot of things he said to them when they
approached him25
.
Seventh, Odhikar failed to quote any major newspaper of Bangladesh: The law enforcement
drive on May 5 at Shapla Chattar was carried out openly in front of hundreds of members of the
press who were permitted access to all relevant locations immediately following the drive. All of
them carried detailed reports on what they witnessed happening. However, the Report does not
quote any one of them.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, this is what a senior journalist of Daily Star had to say on Odhikar’s
Report: “Odhikar’s fact-finding report…is a composition of half-truths, biased and one-sided
presentation of what happened on May 5 and in the early hours of May 6 in the capital…The
June 10 report says nothing about the destructive activities by Hefajat men, the involvement of
Jamaat-Shibir activists and their instigation of acts of violence. But it has elaborately described
the role of law enforcers and pro-ruling party men”26
.
25
“Odhikar Report on Hefajat Deaths: Questions Aplenty”, M Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Star, September 1, 2013
[http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/questions-aplenty/]
26
“Odhikar Report on Hefajat Deaths: Questions Aplenty”, M Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Star, September 1, 2013
[http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/questions-aplenty/]

10. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 10 of 16
Subsequently, in August 2013, after Adilur Rahman Khan was arrested, he told law enforcers
the human-rights body ‘does not presently have’ the list of the 61 people allegedly killed!27
To know why and how the midnight law enforcement drive was conducted on early 6 May, we
need to refer to the Bangladesh government Press Note on the subject issued on May 10,
201328
. The Note is produced verbatim below for ready reference of anyone interested.
Press Note
The government has felt the necessity to unveil the concerned real happenings to dispel the prevailing
confusion among the members of the public centering some rumours like so-called mass-killing and
hiding bodies published or propagated by a section of the media about the aroused situation following
May 5 Dhaka seize and subsequent rally at Shapla Chattar by Hefajat-e-Islam.
An unregistered organization named Hefajat-e-Islam held a rally at Shapla Chattar on April 6 from where
the Dhaka Seize programme on May 5 was announced. As per their earlier announcement, they
organized staging seizure at six points around Dhaka city. Before one day of the rally, they [Hefajat]
sought permission of the government on May 4 for holding a rally at Shapla Chattar from 2 pm on May 5
in order to shorten their Dhaka Seize programme and enable to hold a 'Doa Mahfil' under the leadership
of their leader and Principal of Hathazari Madrasa, Maulana Shafi. Although there was no mention of
holding any rally inside Dhaka city in their earlier Dhaka Seize programme, the government,
demonstrating liberal democracy approach to hold the rally with condition that they would finish the
'Doa Mahfil' before 6 p.m.
But on May 5, the Hefajat activists from the very outset of their Dhaka Seize programme started
27
“Odhikar doesn’t have the list”, bdnews24.com, 12 August 2013
[http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/08/12/odhikar-doesnt-have-the-list]
28
The Press Note can be viewed online at http://www1.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=330266&date=2013-
05-10

11. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 11 of 16
assembling at the scheduled six points and simultaneously started pouring into Dhaka city and taking
possession at the Motijheel Shalpa Chattar. At the same time they took possessions surrounding Baitul
Mukarram area and locked in violent clashes and confrontation with the members of the law enforcing
agencies.
The unruly activists of Hefajat had started carrying out subversive activities. At one stage, they formed
massive assembly and started lootings, arsons and destructions. They started burning cars and vehicles
indiscriminately and set fire on the office of the Communist Party at Purana Paltan road. They looted
way shops of the hawkers , ransacked book shops and burnt stall of the holy Quoran by spreading petrol
from different directions. The bewildered Hefajat activists blazed shops of Jaynamaj, Tashbi and Caps set
up on the footpaths and made hundreds of poor working people poppers. The Hefajat activists attacked
on the House Building Finance Corporation and torched at least 11 valuable vehicles of the corporation.
The unruly activists beaten up and injured the fire brigade personnel and driven them away when they
reached on the spot to extinguish the fire. At noon, when the Hefajat activists in massive scale assembled
at the Shapla Chattar and Baitul Mukarram they became insane and locked the office of DC [Traffic] ,
East Zone of DMP from outside and finally torched it. As a result one police personal and the DC,
Motijheel were injured.
At one stage, they, at around noon, tried to launch attacks on Awami League office at Gulistan and
carried out massive destruction at Golap Shah Mazar. They attacked corporate branch of Janata Bank,
tried to loot and damaged an ATM booth at the ground floor of the building.
Besides, Eastern Bank and Bank Asia were attacked and ransacked. The unruly activists entered into the
bus depot of the government employees' welfare board at Motijheel and burned several dozens of busses
into ashes.

12. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 12 of 16
They even did not spare beautifully decorated stadium, trees on the medians, road dividers, steel-
structures set up between the light-posts and dividers. Even solar light posts were also destroyed.
When the unprecedented looting and arson attacks were continuing at the capital's important business
and administrative centres, Awami League urged Hefajat-e-Islam at a press conference to leave the area
before dusk peacefully as per their commitment stopping destruction and vandalism.
But the Hefajat leaders did not pay any heed to it, rather they continued their illegal activities
desperately.
In the afternoon, their leader Ahmed Shafi started his journey towards the meeting of Shapla Chattar
from Lalbagh Madrasa where he was staying. But proceeding towards Shapla Chattar a little, he went
back after getting a phone-call from BNP's leadership level.
On the other hand, anarchy got intensified. When night progressed, BNP policymakers sat in an
emergency meeting. After the meeting, honorable leader Begum Khaleda Zia officially ordered party
leaders and activists to actively participate in the Hefajat-e- Islam's programme and urged the dwellers
of Dhaka city to extend cooperation to Hefajat activists.
In fact, it was known, BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists were leading destructive activities from the very
beginning of the incident.
Hefajat activists cut down trees from road dividers and put up barricades placing these threes on the

13. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 13 of 16
road, smashed dividers and continued to set fire on motor vehicles. They uprooted barbed fences and
iron-made dividers, created mass panic by creating fire incidents.
As the night was deepening, the city dwellers became panicked as some mass media continued to air
such horrifying activities and provocative statements. As a result, the countrymen had to pass time amid
extreme anxiety.
When the country was at the threshold of great disaster, the government elected by the people took
decision to evict safely the Hefajat activists involved in unruly and barbarous destructive activities to save
the country and lives and properties of the city people and to ensure security of the people from possible
unstable situation and anarchies.
This eviction drive became imperative to resist anarchies and to protect democracy, rule of law and mass
security. Finding no other way, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, RAB and BGB started eviction drive at around
2pm.
It was decided not to use deadly-weapons during the operation. Water cannons, sound grenades and
rubber bullets were used during the operation.
At the beginning of the operation, all were cautioned to leave the area by making repeated requests over
mike. Security forces started proceeding steadily from the direction of Arambagh and Dainik Bangla
crossing towards Shapla Chattar and steps were taken for safe exist of the people by keeping the road
facing the daily Ittefaq crossing open.

14. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 14 of 16
Within 10 to 15 minutes of the beginning of the operation, the people left Shapla Chattar and moved
towards the Sayedabad- Jatrabari. Four dead bodies wrapped up in 'kafan' cloths were found beside the
podium. It was known from the police sources, a total of 11 people, including three pedestrians and a
police, were killed at different stages of the clashes throughout the day.
Against the backdrop of unrealistic and baseless rumors about losing lives of thousands of people, it is
the information for public that such rumors are completely untrue, fictitious and motivated. Because:
Ka) In no way it is possible to kill thousands of people and conceal their bodies in this age of free flow of
information and expansion of information technology. It is undeliverable at this time of mobile-phones,
email and internet.
Kha) If such mass killings would have taken place, certainly their families, relatives, friends would have
tried to search for their near and dear ones and it was attracted attention of the mass media. But any
quarter could not present any example in this regard. So it is proved that the matter of losing lives of a
lot of people is untrue and completely motivated rumors.
Ga) A good number of media people with TV and still cameras were present during the operation and
they watched and telecast the entire incident. Many people from high-rise buildings watched the incident
and took snap-shots. But there were no pictures of using deadly weapons. So losing of huge lives is a
publicity of a vested quarter.
Rather, the reality is that the disciplined law- enforcement personnel conducted the operation in a

15. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 15 of 16
planned manner and maintaining outmost tolerance. During the operation, the law enforcement
members rescued those who took shelter in lanes and by-lanes and shown them safe exists.
Among them, many were children and adolescents who came to Dhaka city for the first time in their life.
They were being showed paths by the members of law enforcers towards their destinations was seen in
TV telecasting. There was no evidence in news and photographs that anybody was harassed or
humiliated during the operation.
(Gha) On behalf of police and BGB, the news published in media that many people were killed, were
identified as motivated, untrue, illogical and baseless.
Being driven out from the Shapla Chhatar, the Hefajat-e- Islam activists were tried to gather on the
Dhaka-Chittagong highway again.
They put barricade on the road from the morning on the next day on May 06. At the same time, they
started torching vehicles on the road indiscriminately. The BNP-Jamaat workers joined the destructive
activities in line with directives.
The destruction created havoc at Kanchpur, Signboard, Shimrail, Sanarpar, Kuwait market and
Madaninagar areas under Narayanganj district.
They assembled people centering the Madaninagar Madrasha by spreading rumors through laud
speakers from the nearby mosques and launched attack on law enforcement agencies.

16. [LIES AND PROPAGANDA ] May 5, 2014
Page 16 of 16
Two police-Nayek Firoz and constable Zakaria- and two BGB members-Shah Alam and Lavelu- sustained
serious injuries as they tried to prevent their planned attacks and later they died in hospital.
At that time, it was known that 13 people were died at various levels during the atrocities. When the
situation took into a serious turn, more forces were deployed to take them away and bring the situation
under control.