Top leaders detained from BNP office

Police on Monday detained at least seven top leaders, including Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a raid on the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters on Monday evening after a rally was foiled following bomb blasts.

The two-hour raid – after the party called a daylong countrywide shutdown for Tuesday – was called off around 8pm.

Later, the BNP threatened the government with enforcing two more shutdowns on Mar 18 and 19, if it did not release the detained opposition leaders.

The main opposition also suspended its national council scheduled to be held on Mar 19.

Ruling Awami League Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim said the law-enforcing agencies have detained them on legal ground. They can arrest anyone they create anarchy.

Police seized 10 crude bombs from the BNP headquarters during the drive.

Apart from Fakhrul, the detained BNP leaders include opposition Chief Whip and Publicity Secretary Zainul Abdin Farroque, its Joint Secretaries General Rizvi Ahmed, Amanullah Aman, Mohammad Shahjahan, Vice-Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Vice-Chairman and city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The other detainees include BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Advisor AZM Zahid Hossain, central leaders Habibur Rahman Habib, Mostafizur Rahman Babul and Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Latif Johnny.

The BNP leaders said that over 100 leaders and activists were detained during the raid.

The detainees were taken to the headquarters of the Detective Branch (DB) of police at Minto Road in the city.

However, party Vice-President Selima Rahman, MP Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Mohila Dal President Nure Ara Safa, General Secretary Shirin Sultana and several other women leaders and activists who were at the BNP central office were not detained.

At a scheduled rally at Naya Paltan on Monday afternoon, several crude bombs went off at about 4:45pm in front of the BNP central office while Fakhrul was speaking.

Later, the activists of the BNP and the 18-Party Alliance started hurling brick chips at the police and the neighbouring buildings.

At one stage, unruly activists set ablaze a motorbike and a rickshaw.

During the rally, the police took position near Nightingale intersection in Kakrail – some distance from Naya Paltan.

Chased by police, the activists of the BNP and its allies fled in different narrow streets and exploded several handmade bombs around 5:30pm.

Police stormed in the BNP central office around 6pm and started detaining BNP leaders one after another.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mehedi Hasan, who was present during the raid, told reporters, “The anarchy has been unleashed centring the BNP rally. A thorough search will be conducted.”

Fakhrul was arrested at first, the third time by this government.

Several leaders had locked themselves up inside the office of Secretary General. Later, police broke in and detained Khoka, Aman, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Farroque.

Home Minster Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir later said the arrest of senior BNP leaders from inside the party headquarters were lawful.