6 army members injured in attack by Ansar

Six army personnel were injured in an attack by Ansar members in the Secretariat area of the capital yesterday (25 August), according to a press release from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). 

Among them, one is reported to be in critical condition.

As per the ISPR release, around 10,000 Ansar members gathered at various times and surrounded the Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday, holding seven advisers of the interim government and other senior officials hostage. 

In the afternoon, the Director General of Ansar and VDP arrived at the Secretariat to calm the agitated Ansar members and agreed to all their demands. 

"Despite this, the Ansar members did not leave the Secretariat area and confined the Director General of Ansar and VDP, while some Ansar members attempted to break through Gate No 3 of the Secretariat and enter inside," the release reads. 

During this time, the agitated Ansar members launched a sudden attack on students present at the scene. They also hurled bricks and stones at the army patrol deployed for security at the Secretariat, as well as attacked them with sticks.

To bring the situation under control, the deployed army personnel repeatedly engaged with the Ansar members with patience. 

The ISPR release said the army fired 27 rounds of blank shots on the sky when the agitated Ansar members did not back down. 

"Subsequently, additional army personnel were deployed in the Bangladesh Secretariat area, dispersing the Ansar members and bringing the situation under control," the release states.

The release said the seven advisers of the interim government, the Director General of Ansar, senior officials of the law enforcement agencies, and all Secretariat officials were later safely evacuated from the Secretariat area with the help of the army. 

"The deployed army personnel took into custody some of the Ansar members who had infiltrated the Secretariat and later sought refuge and handed them over to the police," the ISPR release said.