68 new cases filed, 642 arrested in a day 

Following the clashes that occurred in Dhaka on 28 October associated with the BNP's grand rally, a series of cases are being filed against the party's leaders and members. The police are conducting raids and apprehending leaders and activists of the party. 

On Monday, 68 cases were reported from Dhaka and 22 districts. In these cases, 5,559 individuals have been named as accused, and there are also numerous unnamed accused individuals. A total of 642 people were arrested across the country on Monday. 

On Sunday and Monday, 37 cases were registered in relation to the clash that occurred in Dhaka on Saturday. In these cases, 1,544 individuals have been named as accused, and 716 people have been arrested. 

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with most of the party's top leaders, is listed as accused in these cases. Mirza Fakhrul, who was arrested in connection with the attack on the residence of the Chief Justice, was sent to jail on Sunday. District-level leaders of the party have also been implicated in these cases.  

With arrests and an atmosphere of panic prevailing, many top leaders are currently in hiding. Meanwhile, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the senior joint secretary general of the party, announced a three-day road, rail, and sea blockade programme during a virtual press conference last Sunday. This blockade programme is scheduled to begin on Tuesday and conclude on Thursday. 

DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Ops) Khandkar Mahid Uddin held a press conference at his office yesterday to discuss the clash and the BNP's blockade programme. He emphasised that legal actions will be taken if the BNP attempts to create chaos during the programme. 

Khandkar Mahid Uddin stated that those who were involved in the violence on 28 October will be prosecuted and arrested based on the severity of their crimes. However, these actions are being carried out judiciously and in accordance with established procedures. Cases are being registered following the rules, and the accused are being apprehended. In addition to the police, members of the general public are also filing cases. 

BNP workers clashed with the police in at least six areas around the party's central office in Naya Paltan, Dhaka, on 28 October. Subsequently, due to the police operation, the party's grand rally was halted. On the following Sunday, the BNP called for a day-long hartal across the country. 

During these events, at least four people, including a policeman, lost their lives in two days. Furthermore, there were incidents of arson in various locations. The plaintiffs in the majority of these cases include police, Chhatra League, and Jubo League leaders and activists. 

Upon examining the depositions from various cases, it is evident that these cases include allegations of murder, using explosive devices with the intent to harm the police, obstructing government activities, vandalizing the residence of the Chief Justice, confiscating police weapons, and setting fire to buses, among other charges. 

37 cases in Dhaka, 1,544 accused 

As per information provided by the media wing of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), 9 new cases were registered on the day following the clash and hartal centered around the BNP rally. These cases have named 594 individuals as accused. In total, there have been 37 cases registered in Dhaka over the course of two days. These cases involve 1,544 named accused individuals, with additional unnamed accused persons. 

The list of accused includes not only Mirza Fakhrul but also prominent BNP leaders such as Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Abdul Awal Mintu, Barkatullah Bulu, Zainul Abdin Faruk, Joynal Abedin, Ahmed Azam Khan, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Shahjahan Omar, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and many others. 

BNP claims that, following the incident on Saturday, the police conducted raids on the residences of the party's leaders and members of different ranks in different districts of the country, including the homes of five top leaders in Dhaka. 

Meanwhile, based on information received from the court, the DMP presented 168 individuals in court following their arrests on the previous day. The court subsequently ordered to send them to jail. 

57 cases in 22 districts  

According to the reports sent by Prothom Alo correspondents, a total of 57 new cases have been filed in 22 districts yesterday arraigning 4,965 BNP men. 282 persons including BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi have been accused in a case filed in Narayanganj.  

Many top and active leaders of district level have been accused in the cases. The list of accused include Khulna divisional BNP’s acting organizing secretary Anindya Islam, Jashore district BNP’s member secretary Saberul Haque, Faridpur district BNP’s member secretary AK Kibria, Faridpur city BNP’s convener AFM Quaiyum and Magura district Jubo Dal’s president Wasiqur Rahman.  

474 arrested in 21 districts  

Police arrested 474 leaders-activists of BNP and associate organisations from 21 districts yesterday. Total number of arrests in these two districts in the last two days stands at 1586.  

On Monday, a total of 90 people were arrested in Rajshahi, 66 in Jashore, 50 in Netrokona, 45 in Mymensingh, 36 in Sirajganj, 32 in Brahmanbaria, 32 in Satkhira, 15 in Kishoreganj, 8 in Sylhet, 7 in Khulna, 6 each in Jamalpur, Tangail and Manikganj, 5 each in Lalmonirhat and Kushtia, 4 each in Faridpur and Gaibandha, 3 in Magura and 2 each in Habiganj and Chandpur.  

Police officials at various levels said they have been instructed to remain alert so that opposition leaders-activists cannot take to the streets. They were asked to arrest BNP leaders-activists if they gathered to hold the blockade programme anywhere.  

Police sources said the law enforcers aim to arrest BNP’s top and active leaders so that they cannot organise the movement.  

BNP men had already been entangled in legal cobwebs. According to the party’s case information cell, BNP leaders are accused in a total of 138,071 cases till 25 July. Over four million people are accused in these cases filed from 2009.  

BNP alleges that after foiling their grand rally by using police, the government is now on an arrest spree against the party activists. The party alleges that the government has taken this strategy seeing huge gatherings in its Dhaka rally.  

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in a virtual press briefing from an unknown place said the government has increased repression against BNP men to dampen its one-point movement but it would not succeed since the people are with the party.