Police search for 'Awami League activists’ in hotels, arrest 44 after checking phones

Police have beefed up security in Dhaka ahead of the banned Awami League’s announced programme on Nov 13. Law enforcers have conducted overnight raids in different hotels and shared accommodations as Awami League leaders and activists head to the capital for the protest.  

On Tuesday, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 44 people in the city, police said. Apart from this, eight crime divisions of the DMP arrested more people in separate raids.

On Tuesday night, police conducted raids on residential hotels in various areas of the city, including Bangabandhu Avenue, Fakirapool, Kakrail, and Elephant Road, in search of Awami League leaders and activists.

During the operation, information on hotel guests, including their national identity cards, occupations, and why they came to Dhaka, was verified. Police are also checking their mobile phones to see if they contain any Awami League contact information.

Ramna Division DC Masud Alam told bdnews24.com, "We are conducting raids in hotels and messes (shared accommodations) based on specific information. Eleven people were arrested from a mess in Kalabagan last night. We suspect that they gathered in Dhaka for sabotage."

Asked on what basis the arrests were being made, Masud said: “Before a suspect is arrested, they are initially questioned. If the questioning raises doubts, their information is checked against the police's CDMS (criminal database). In most cases, they are found to be named in previous cases. For example, out of the 11 people arrested in Kalabagan last night, five came from Gopalganj, who are already named in some previous cases.”

On Wednesday morning, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Public Relations Department announced the arrest of 44 people in a statement. The statement said, “Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) has arrested 44 more leaders and activists of the Awami League, a party banned from holding programmes, and its affiliates in raids in various parts of the capital.”