BNP claims 27 leaders and activists arrested in night-long police drive

BNP has alleged that the police have taken up a drive to carry out arrests all over the country in view of the party's 28 October rally.

The party claims that 27 of its leaders and activists have been arrested from various areas of Dhaka in a drive from Wednesday evening till Thursday morning. BNP joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokan is among the arrested.

BNP's national executive committee member (attached to the office) informed Prothom Alo of the matter.

The police, however, have not said anything about the number of BNP men arrested. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) spokesman Faruk Hossain told Prothom Alo that the police is not arresting BNP men in view of the party's 28 October rally. Only the BNP leaders and activists against whom there are cases and arrest warrant are being arrested.

Earlier in the morning, DMP's detective branch (DB) Motijheel division deputy commissioner Rajib Al Masud confirmed to Prothom Alo that Khairul Kabir had been arrested.

With the 28 October rally approaching, BNP leaders and activists were being picked up all over the country, the party has alleged. The party said that on Wednesday night 16 BNP men were detained by police in Thakurgaon. Another seven were detained in Tangail and Narayanganj districts.

BNP sources say that on Wednesday night BNP's Chawk Bazar ward 29 member secretary Haji Md Moniur Rahman, BNP's organising secretary of the same ward Abdur Rahman, New Market thana ward 18 BNP member Md Hashem, Wari thana ward 41 BNP leader Pradip Ahmed, Bangshal thana ward 35 BNP agriculture affairs secretary Md Harun, ward 35 BNP cultural affairs secretary Md Alam, ward 35 BNP Mogultuli unit joint general secretary Md Jasim, and Wari thana ward 39 BNP member Md Jahangir Hossain, have been arrested.