At least 550 arrested all over country in 5 days

Attacks, shooting, clashes and violence took place in different parts across the country during the last couple of days centering the movement that started with the demand for quota reforms. Cases have been filed in connection with these incidents in different areas of the country.

At least 550 people throughout the country including almost 200 in Dhaka alone have been arrested under these cases in five days till 22 July. The arrested include BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists.

Four central leaders of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were also arrested on Sunday, 21 July. According to a source of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), 144 people have been sent to prison under various cases from the court in Dhaka on Sunday.

On behalf of BNP, the media was told that central media secretary of the party Sultan Salauddin and general secretary of Dhaka city north BNP Aminul Haque have been arrested. Both Sultan Salauddin and Aminul Haque had been sent to the court on Sunday. BNP also claimed that BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Amanullah Aman and secretary of international affairs Nasir Uddin Ahmed too had been detained by police on Sunday.

Meanwhile, on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami the media was told that their party secretary general Mia Golam Parwar and assistant secretary general Ehsan Mahbub Jubayer have been arrested. The party claims that more than 50 of their leaders and activists have been arrested on Sunday.

According to BNP’s claim the list of arrested leaders of the party also includes Dhaka divisional organisational secretary Saiyedul Alam and former president of Bagerhat district BNP committee Abdus Salam. Among them, Abdus Salam was detained from capital’s Baridhara area.

Earlier, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Nazrul Islam Khan, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Dhaka district BNP general secretary Nipun Roy Chowdhury had been arrested on Friday and Saturday. Apart from this, president of a faction of Gano Odhikar Parishad and former DUCSU vice-president Nurul Haque (Nur)’s family has complained about him being picked up by people under the identity of law and order enforcement forces.

Meanwhile, a woman named Fatematuz Zohra has complained that her husband Mezbah Uddin, a businessman, was detained by police in plainclothes from their home in capital’s Dhanmondi area late night on Saturday.

Police has filed a case against 50 leaders and activists of BNP with Sudharam police station in connection to the clashes between police and BNP activists in Poura Bazar area under Maizdi of Noakhali last Friday. And, seven people have been arrested in this case.

There had been direct confrontations between police and the activists of BNP, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal in Feni’s Takia Road on Saturday evening. As the plaintiff, police filed a case accusing 29 leaders and activists of BNP, Jubo Dal and Chhatra dal in connection to this incident. Sub-inspector (SI) at Feni model police station Emran Hossain said that 21 Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists have been arrested under this case.

Additional deputy commissioner (media) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz told Prothom Alo that 11 people had been arrested in Chattogram on Saturday night. And, the number of arrests made from Wednesday to Sunday is 222. On Friday, a Jubo League activist had filed a case on allegation of vandalising vehicles on the street in Chattogram’s Sitakunda. Police arrested nine persons under this case on Saturday night. It has been reported on behalf of the police that eight of them are local leaders of BNP and its affiliated organisations while the remaining one is a Shibir activist.

The arrested people are Jubo Dal president in Barabkunda union of Sitakunda upazila Selim Mia, Jubo Dal general secretary in Syedpur union Md Jasim Uddin, Jubo dal president in Kumira ward no. 7 Rashedul Islam, sports secretary of BNP in Sitakunda municipality Kamal Uddin, Jubo Dal general secretary in Salimpur union Lutfar Rahman, Jubo Dal general secretary in Bashbaria union Md Joynal, organizational secretary of Krishak Dal in Muradpur ward no. 7 Md Jasim and Shibir activist Siam Khan.

Meanwhile in Cumilla, police has arrested 54 people under three different cases. The three cases had been filed with Cumilla Sadar south model police station. Confirming the arrests, additional superintendent of police Nazmul Hasan said that there has been extensive violence in the name of movement in Kotbari area under Sadar south upazila. Police and BGB vehicles were vandalised and set on fire. Those 54 people have been arrested under three cases filed by the police in connection to those incidents.

In Rangpur, three cases have been filed so far in connection to the clashes. Police has arrested 31 people including Rangpur city corporation councilor and Rangpur city BNP committee member Liton Parvez under these cases. Police commissioner Moniruzzaman said that 31 people have been arrested under three separate cases till now.

Meanwhile, six people including a Jamaat leader have been arrested in Chapainawabganj. The amir of district Jamaat unit is among them.

In Sylhet, police has arrested nine people including five Jamaat-e-Islami leaders. Police arrested those five Jamaat leaders conducting a drive in Housing Estate area under the city around 10:30 pm on Saturday night. He arrested leaders are Jamaat’s central assistant secretary general Ehsanul Mahbub Jobayer, Sylhet city Jamaat amir Fakhrul Islam, secretary general Shahjahan Ali, assistant secretary general Abdur Rab and Jamaat leader Farid Uddin. They have been shown arrested under an old case.

Police officials in Sylhet city said that those five Jamaat leaders were arrested during a secret anti-state meeting. It has been learnt from a source of city police that a Chhatra Dal leader had been arrested in Sylhet on Sunday with three more Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists being arrested on Saturday night.

Moreover, police has arrested two leader and activist of BNP under a case filed with Dinajpur sadar police station. The arrested people are Dinajpur sadar upazila BNP vice-president Wahiduzzaman alias Zaman, 55, and member Golap Hossain, 36. 

Two cases have been filed Sunday accusing 2,000 leaders and activists of BNP with the names of 100 of their leaders and activists mentioned in Kishoreganj’s Bhairab.  Kishoreganj district BNP president Shariful Alam, Bhairab upazila BNP president Rafiqul Islam, general secretary Ariful Islam, municipal BNP president Md Shahin and general secretary Mojibur Rahman have been accused in those two cases. Officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhairab police station Shafiqul Islam confirmed the news those two cases being filed.

Meanwhile, officer-in-charge of Ashuganj police station in Brahmanbaria, Nahid Hossain said that a case has been filed accusing 14 BNP leaders and activists in connection to the incidents of vandalism including the attack on Ashuganj railway station.

[The staff correspondents and correspondents in the concerning areas have helped prepare the report.]