Police make embattled BNP leader Aslam a suspect in 18 sabotage cases

BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury’s woes are set to get worse as police say they have found evidence to indict him in multiple cases of sabotage.

The newly promoted politician was arrested on Sunday while he was on his way to Narayanganj for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy with Israel to overthrow the Hasina administration.

Chittagong district Superintendent of Police AKM Hafeez Akhtar told bdnews24.com that Aslam had fuelled acts of sabotage along the Sitakunda stretch of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.

Several miscreants detained following such acts of sabotage had named Aslam as the mastermind, the SP said.

Police say Aslam has had a hand in a total of 18 cases of sabotage and violence.

On Jan 5, 2014, before and after the general elections, the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami had let loose widespread vandalism on the Sitakunda stretch of the busy highway.

Incidents of setting vehicles ablaze and hurling of firebombs were reported on a daily basis at that time.

In 2014, after a skirmish at Nasiman Bhaban area in Chittagong, police arrested him along with about 200 party functionaries.

A policeman told bdnews24.com that as many as three cases in the city are pending against Aslam.

The BNP leader came under spotlight recently after a Bangladesh daily ran a report on a meeting between him and Israel’s ruling Likud party leader Mendi N Safadi in India along with a group photo of the two.

The ruling Awami League leaders claim his party in collusion with Israel and its spy agency Mossad was hatching a ‘conspiracy’ to overthrow the government.

Aslam is currently being quizzed in police custody.

Another police official told bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity that Aslam’s passport was impounded on Monday from his office.