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.
Published : 11 Mar 2013, 01:11 PM
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.
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.