Following the shooting of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi in Dhaka, the government has launched a special nationwide operation, named “Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2,” to recover illegal weapons, maintain law and order, and curb extremist activities.

The joint forces began the operation last Saturday evening. In the first two days, 1,043 people were arrested and six weapons—including pistols, machetes, swords, knives, and rechargeable stun guns—were seized. Among the detainees, 907 were arrested based on existing warrants and ongoing cases.

The decision to launch the operation was made during a meeting of the Home Ministry’s core committee, following the attack on Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a potential candidate for the national parliamentary elections. The committee emphasized the need to maintain a peaceful environment ahead of the elections and to recover illegal weapons while controlling law and order and deterring extremist elements.

According to police headquarters, the special operation involves coordinated efforts from various police units and the armed forces. Additional Inspector General Khondkar Rafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that the operation aims to ensure law and order, prevent election disruptions, and seize illegal arms.

During a Home Ministry core committee meeting at the Secretariat, Home Advisor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury highlighted ongoing operations to recover looted and illegal weapons. The committee decided to immediately launch Phase-2 to strengthen these efforts and suppress extremist violence.

Police spokesperson A.H.M. Shahadat Hossain confirmed that Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 will continue nationwide until further instructions.

The original Operation Devil Hunt began 10 months ago, on 8 February, following an attack on students in Gazipur. The Home Ministry had coordinated joint forces across the country to restore law and order and bring offenders to justice. The previous operation was triggered by a violent incident at the residence of former Liberation War Affairs Minister A.K.M. Mozammel, where 15–16 students were attacked while trying to respond to a robbery report. The resulting protests by students and civil society in Gazipur led to administrative action, after which the first operation was launched.