Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Benazir Ahmed said on Wednesday Hefazat-e-Islam had attempted to stigmatise the golden jubilee of independence.

“Hefazat activists carried out violence all over Bangladesh on March 26, the golden jubilee of our independence,” he told reporters while visiting Combined Military Hospital (CMH) to see police personnel, who were seriously injured during the Hefazat attacks in Chattogram and Brahmanbaria on March 26.

Dr Benazir Ahmed stayed bedside the wounded police personnel and enquired of their physical condition.

The IGP said the Hefazat attacked Baitul Mukarram Mosque first and they used innocent students of Hathazari Madrasa.

“Thousands of students attacked Hathazari police station. They attacked the circuit house there. Hefazat activists set fire to the land office there,” he said.

Dr Benazir Ahmed said Hefazat activists captured an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who was discharged his duty as a provisionary officer at Hathazari police station and brutally beaten him aimed at killing. “Similarly, a constable on duty was captured and taken away and a sub-inspector (SI) on duty in front of the circuit house was seriously injured,” he added.

The police personnel undergoing treatment at CMH are Md Nurul Alam, inspector of police camp under Sadar Model Police Station of Brahmanbaria District, and Md Mehedi Hasan, SI of Hathazari Police Station.

The injured ASP Hussain Muhammad Farabi is currently undergoing treatment at Chattogram CMH.

Responding to a question, the IGP said such barbaric attacks were an attempt to tarnish the golden jubilee of independence.