367 AL members named in Gopalganj cases over ‘Dhaka Lockdown’, five arrested

The cases were filed on Friday, police say

A total of 367 Awami League members have been named in two Gopalganj cases over the “Dhaka Lockdown” programme, while the party’s activities remain banned.

Five of the suspects have been arrested.

The cases were filed on Friday night under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Gopalganj Sadar and Kotalipara police stations.

The two cases name 82 people and 285 others unidentified as suspects.

Gopalganj Sadar Police chief Md Shah Alam said “terrorist activities” occurred in different places in Gopalganj on Thursday, focusing on the Awami League's “Dhaka Lockdown” programme.

In these incidents, a case has been filed naming Sheikh Naim, son of former Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim from the Gopalganj-2 constituency, as the key suspect.

The case lists 68 people and 250 unnamed suspects, with four already arrested.

Separately, Kotalipara Police chief Khandaker Hafizur Rahman said another case includes 14 named individuals and 15 unidentified suspects, with one person arrested so far.

The five arrestees were sent to jail through the court on Saturday, police added.

Citing the case documents, police said petrol bombs were thrown at the office of the Public Works Division in Gopalganj city and Grameen Bank’s Ulpur branch in Sadar Upazila, focusing on the “lockdown”.

In additon, trees were left on roads at different locations in the district, obstructing traffic flow.