Bogura BNP general secretary among two leaders arrested at the dead of night

The police have arrested Ali Asgar Talukder alias Hena, general secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) Bogura district unit and Bogura district Swechchhasebak Dal’s former convener Majedur Rahman alias Jewel.

Ali Asgar was arrested from his residence in the city’s Sutrapur area at around 3:15 am Wednesday and Majedur Rahman was arrested from his residence in Puran Bogura area of the city at around 3:30 am.

Police said they were arrested over the clash between the police and BNP leaders and activists during the first day's road march of the opposition party.

Confirming their arrests, Bogura superintendent of police (SP) Sudeep Kumar Chakrabarty said, “They have been arrested in the case police filed over the clash. Leaders and activists of BNP assaulted the police members during their march and injured 11, including an inspector. The police have filed separate cases over the incident yesterday (Tuesday) night.”

Speaking regarding this to Prothom Alo, Bogura district BNP president and mayor of Bogura Pourashava (municipality) Rezaul Karim said a number of police members, introducing them as DB (Detective Branch) police, picked up Ali Asgar Talukdar and Majedur Rahman in the dead of the night.

The clash broke out on Tuesday after the police obstructed BNP’s march that the party has been organising to press home its demand of resignation of the government.

The police repeatedly fired tear gas shells, shotgun bullets and rubber bullets to disperse the BNP activists and leaders in the Yakubiya Girls High School intersection in the town.

The BNP has claimed that at least 200 party leaders and activists were injured in the attack carried out by the police. Meanwhile, the police claimed that some six to 11 police members were injured in the attack carried out by the BNP leaders and activists.