Evidence of the presence of outsiders in the unrest by Ansar members demanding the nationalisation of their jobs has been uncovered by an investigation committee.
This information was confirmed by Munmun Sultana, the current director of Ansar Branch-2 under the Ministry of Home Affairs' Public Security Division, on Thursday (5 September).
Before the attacks and legal actions, a committee was formed by the Ansar Branch-2 of the Public Security Division, with Major General Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud, director general of Ansar and Village Defence, as its chair.
This committee was established through an order signed by Deputy Secretary AKM Al Amin on 23 August.
Jahanara Akter, director (administration) at the Ansar Headquarters, was appointed as the committee's member secretary.
However, she was transferred before the commencement of her duties. The committee was instructed to include four coordinators leading the movement alongside senior officials of the force.
Nevertheless, the leaders of the movement are currently in hiding due to legal cases filed following the vandalism and clashes at the secretariat.
The committee was given seven days to submit its recommendations, but as of 5 September, 13 days have passed.
When asked about the recommendations regarding the demands, Munmun Sultana, the newly appointed director replacing Jahanara Akter said that the committee has ceased its work. This is due to the events of 25 August, where protesting Ansar members vandalised the secretariat and engaged in clashes.
Additionally, many of the individuals listed in the committee have since been transferred. As a result, the Ansar Headquarters has formed a separate internal investigation committee to probe the disorder during the protests.
The investigation is ongoing, and several individuals have already been identified, although the report is yet to be submitted.
The director further stated that lists are being compiled of Ansar members who participated in the protests, as well as those who continued their duties without involvement.
These lists will be cross-referenced to identify the protesters, and the committee is working to confirm the presence of outsiders through this process.
Although tasked with investigating the unrest, the committee is also expected to work on the recommendations for fulfilling the demands.
Munmun Sultana said that efforts are ongoing to identify the disruptors while simultaneously drafting recommendations for meeting the general Ansar members' demands.
"Since assurances were made that their demands would be addressed, we will work towards their implementation," she said.
Meanwhile, three cases have been filed against the protesting Ansar members at three police stations under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in connection with the vandalism at the secretariat, clashes with students, and attacks on army personnel.
In these cases, 10,000 Ansar members, including unidentified individuals, have been named as accused.
To date, 372 Ansar members have been arrested and are currently held in custody.
Ansar and Village Defence is the largest paramilitary force in the country, with approximately 6.3 million members, nearly half of whom are women.
Despite its size, the force is divided into several categories, including Battalion Ansar, Affiliated Ansar, and General Ansar.
Recently, 70,000 Affiliated Ansar members have taken to the streets demanding the nationalisation of their jobs.
Out of the total Affiliated Ansar members, 55,000 are currently employed, but due to their contract-based employment, at least 15,000 members face "rest time" or unemployment each year, which can last up to six months.
During this period, they are left without salary or allowances, forcing them to live in poverty.
Ansar members do not want to remain unemployed during this "rest time" and this grievance led to the protests.
Initially, the protests involved blocking several roads in the capital, including Shahbagh, but on 25 August, Ansar members from various parts of the country gathered in front of the Secretariat.
The prolonged siege of the Secretariat prompted action from the Home Affairs Adviser, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, and the Director General of the Ansar force, Major General Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud.
After discussions, they assured the protesters that their demands would be met, and a circular would be issued soon. However, despite these assurances, the protesters continued to besiege the secretariat.
As a result, the interim government's advisers and Secretariat officials were trapped inside.
Law enforcement and students eventually intervened, leading to clashes between the protesters and security forces.
