BNP leader Makbul Hossain has been arrested in a case filed on Thursday over the violence erupted between the Dhaka College students and New Market traders.
Dhaka South City BNP office secretary Saidur Rahman told Prothom Alo that the members of the law enforcement agency arrested Makbul, former New Market thana unit BNP president, from Town Hall in Mohammadpur on Friday evening.
Dhaka Metropolitan police confirmed the arrest of Makbul in a press release.
Police on Thursday filed a case making Makbul Hossain, an executive member of Dhaka South City BNP, the prime accused on charges of creating obstacles to carrying out government duty at New Market, attacking police, hurling stones and carrying out vandalism.
Another 22 people have been made accused in the case. Besides, 200-300 unnamed traders of New Market and 600-700 Dhaka College students were also accused.
Additional deputy commissioner Shahenshah Mahmud told Prothom Alo that the names of the accused have been mentioned in the case statement based on the evidence and intelligence information.
It is learnt that the clashes were sparked off by a brawl that took place between the employees of two fast food shops- 'Welcome' and 'Capital'. The accused Makbul took allotment of these shops from Dhaka South City Corporation. He later rented out these shops.
Makbul Hossain on Thursday told Prothom Alo that "I didn’t visit that place [New Market] in the last four months. There is no question of hurling stones, assaulting and vandalising. I took allotment of two shops from the city corporation in the 90s."
When asked, he said he is the former president of the New Market thana BNP.
The accused mentioned in the case are: Amir Hossain Alamgir, Mizan, Tipu, Hazi Jahangir Hossain Patwary, Hasan Jahangir Mitu, Harun Hawlader, Shah Alam Shantu, Shahidul Alam Shahed, Mizan Bepari, Asif, Rahmat, Shuman, Jasim, Billal, Harun, Heha, Monir, Bacchu, Julhas, Mitu, Mintu and Babul.
Dewan Aminul Islam said Makbul Hossain has political identity, but he just rented out the shops the city corporation allotted to him. If he has been accused in the case over the brawl between the employees of these two shops, then it is not fair, Aminul added.