Is Bangladesh plunging into political chaos once again?

Police in Bangladesh have arrested more than 1,500 people since Saturday amid reports of mob violence across the country and a security crackdown. 

The arrests came six months after Bangladesh's embattled ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student-led revolution.

The police action was part of Operation Devil Hunt, a joint initiative by army troops and police to target groups behind a series of violent incidents that have taken place in recent months, committed both by groups connected to the ousted premier and groups which opposed her.

On Monday, police took publisher Shatabdi Bhaba into protective custody after dozens of furious Islamist students surrounded his stall at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in the capital, Dhaka, which was selling works by exiled feminist author Taslima Nasrin.

"They had been campaigning to vandalize the book stall," said Sanjana Mehran, who alongside  Bhaba co-founded Sabyasachi Publishers, according to AFP news agency.

Interim leader condemns chaos

Secretary-general of the country's powerful opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, met the country's interim leader, Muhammed Yunus, late on Monday to "raise concerns over the incidents that have swept across the country," reported the AFP.

The Office of the Chief Adviser also condemned the incident and warned of strict action to prevent any kind of chaos.

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Chowdhury told reporters that Operation Devil Hunt would continue "until the devils are eliminated."

Political analyst Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman told DW that the interim government only makes statements, rather than preventing attacks or taking further action against perpetrators of the attacks. 

"This is a huge failure for the Bangladesh government and a message that even after six months, the government has not been able to ensure good governance," Rahman said.

Nur Khan Liton, a human rights activist and member of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, which was set up by the interim government, believes there may be a special political motive behind these incidents.

"This time," he told DW, "different forces worked together in the mass uprising." Khan said, "There were many small forces among them who basically believe in extremism."

He noted that these factors could impact the country's journey towards democracy and the upcoming elections.

Rising political tensions

In September, the government initiated a joint operation by the police and army. Although many illegal weapons were recovered and arrests made, human rights concerns have surfaced.

In early February, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a Bangladeshi human rights organization that documents attacks on minority communities, reported that 17 people had died in law enforcement custody during the first five months of the interim government. Among them was a leader of the BNP.

Nur Khan believes the crisis is worsening because the army is handling police work.

"The data shows that extrajudicial killings are increasing. This is a gross violation of human rights. We don't expect this to happen under this government," he told DW.

Khan added that the army lacks experience in handling civilians, "leading to accusations of involvement in crimes such as robbery, kidnapping, house grabbing, and human trafficking."

In response to the growing concerns, Yunus asserted that the reports of rights violations were widely exaggerated, the AP news agency reported.

Fresh protests erupted last week, sparked by a live speech on social media from Hasina, who had taken refuge in India.

In response, protesters bulldozed the historic house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of Hasina's Awami League and her father, who led the country's war of independence.

Offices of the Awami League and allied parties in 35 districts, as well as the homes of leaders and activists, were also set on fire.

An attack occurred on the house of A.K.M. Mozammel Haque, the Awami government's Minister for Liberation War Affairs, in Gazipur district near Dhaka, injuring several students in a counterattack by locals.

Government's strict stance

The government announced Operation Devil Hunt on Saturday in response to the unrest.

"We are not conducting a drive against any political party or its leaders or activists. Our drive is against criminals and miscreants," said Nazmul Karim, the police commissioner of Gazipur.

Although the government did not provide specific information, Nur Khan claimed that most of the thousands arrested in the operation were Awami League leaders and activists.

He believes that "this does not seem to be an exception compared to the experience of such operations in the past" and doubts that such operations will restore order in the country.

The press wing of the chief advisor did not respond to a request for comment.

However, on Monday, advisor Mahfuz Alam hinted at the government's strict stance in a Facebook post. He wrote, "If you support the uprising, stop mobbing, and if you engage in mob actions, you will also be treated as devils."

He further emphasized that the government will deal with the "so-called movements" and "mob activities" with a strong hand from now on. "Any attempt to render the state ineffective and failed will not be tolerated," he wrote.

Edited by: Keith Walker