Meherpur, Oct 28 (bdnews24.com)—Police and Rapid Action Battalion arrested six suspected members of the recently banned outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir in Meherpur on Saturday, after villagers alerted police of their unwelcome "preaching".

The home ministry outlawed the Islamist outfit on Thursday, considering it a threat to public safety. On Friday, police stopped members of Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh from holding a news conference, but detained none.

The six suspects were arrested after angry locals of Amjhupi village in Meherpur Sadar Upazila informed police about them preaching "anti-Islamic sentiments". Meherpur police and a local RAB team came on the scene to arrest them.

They arrested Reazul Ahmed, a lecturer of Dhaka Commerce College. Reazul is originally from Alfadanga, Faridpur.

Also arrested were Mustafizur Rahman Chandan, from Sylhet, and Nur Muhammad Hedayetullah, from Hariabari, Jamalpur, who claimed themselves to be employees of the British High Commission.

Other detained were Madhusudan Sarkar of Rampal in Bagerhat, Mahfuzur Islam, of Sripur Tupi Para in Magura and Shah Alam Mintu, of Shaperchar in Narayanganj.

The latter all claimed they were "businessmen," said police.

A Meherpur court sent all of them to jail.

Meherpur police chief Rabiul Islam told bdnews24.com, "A case will be filed against the detainees if investigation proves them to be members of the banned outfit."

All the detainees claimed themselves to be member of a newly formed organisation named Bangladseh Biswa Shanti Ahoban Samiti. They could not give any details of their organisation though.

Head master of Amjhupi High School Mamun Islam Mukul said the arrestees were preaching in Amjhupi village Friday morning.

Quoting them, Mamun said they were preaching that the present form of Islam was not real Islam. "They said the 'last messenger' of God had not come yet. They said if Allah revealed a message to them they would also be prophets."

Hearing all this, the angry villagers asked them to leave the place, said the head master.

Some villagers also alleged the men claimed themselves to be members of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Amjhupi village dwellers claimed the men first took shelter at the residence of Saiful Azam Khokon, uncle of the later detained Mustafizur Rahman Chandan. Chandan also lived in Amjhupi at one time.

When they did not leave the village, the residents called the police.

Local police chief Rabiul Islam said the arrestees "were keeping their mouths shut".

"We have started investigation through contacting different police station," he added.

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