The blueprint for a regime-change was cooking in the background for the past five months. The Quota Movement provided the perfect cover. The plan was to create terror and chaos across the country through vandalism and arson attacks, and invade and control government establishments. To implement this plan, 300,000 cadres of BNP and Jamaat-E-islami and professional goons were brought to Dhaka from all over Bangladesh.
Sources from several intelligence agencies have confirmed that the plan was to infiltrate the Quota Movement, and using the cover of the general students, create a situation through violence and chaos that the government is forced to resign. They had three main locations as targets:
Airport: The first target was the airport. They wanted to hold the government hostage by stopping all international flights to, and from, Dhaka. That is why so many Shibir cadres took positions around the Uttara area, and the violence here was so much pronounced and deadly. According to intelligence sources, around 20,000-30,000 cadres of BNP and Jamaat converged on this area.
Parliament and Ganabhaban: The second target of the violence was the Ganabhaban and Parliament area. This is why around 20,000 hired goons and criminals were brought together in the adjoining Mohammadpur Bosila. Those who were in charge of directing the violence in Bosila took up positions across the river in Keraniganj. To attack, they were crossing the river in groups via launch, trawlers, and boats. But the brave resistance by law enforcement agencies ensured that they could not advance further. Additionally, a sub-plan was to advance from Dhanmondi’s Science Laboratory area. In fact, BNP and Jamaat’s student wings, Chatro Dal and Chatro Shibir, had managed to advance upto Dhanmondi Road 27. This is why Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas were so badly damaged in the violence.
BTV: Their third important point was to take over national broadcaster, BTV. That is why so many Jamaat-Shibir extremists and hired goons converged in the Rampura area. CCTV footage shows that while the police were fighting the miscreants who were trying to breach BTV entry, a specific group of trained people entered in stealth and started to put the structures on fire. Nonetheless, due to the brave role played by the defenders, the attackers were unsuccessful in taking control of BTV. Despite the widespread damage and destruction in Rampura and badda areas, the criminals could not achieve their aim.
One of the other main targets of the violence was blocking the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. This fourth target had the aim of disrupting the country’s supply chain. To stop the imported goods from entering Dhaka, and stop the exportable goods from going to the port city of Chattogram. The idea was to weaken the government through disrupting trade and commerce.
These were all aspects of a larger masterplan, regime change. But due to the brave and intelligent roles played by the law enforcement and security agencies, the regime change plan has been thwarted for now.
It should be noted that had the police, RAB, BGB, and army had used live bullets, the casualties would have been much higher. Nonetheless, it is sad that many innocent lives have been lost due to the nefarious activities of a power-hungry group.
