IRI-NDI delegation inquired about arrest of top BNP leaders: DB chief
Harun said the delegation also wanted to know about the attack on Hero Alom
The joint election assessment team of US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) inquired about the arrest of top BNP leaders and asked whether they had been ill-treated or tortured in custody, said Harun-Or-Rashid, chief of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
"They inquired about the arrest of top leaders of the BNP, how they were treated while in custody, election security plans, sabotage centring elections, and security of candidates among other issues," Harun told reporters after a meeting with the IRI-NDI delegation on Wednesday (3 January).
"We said those who have been arrested are all listed criminals. Some senior leaders of the BNP were also brought to the DB office [for questioning]. None of them said that we mistreated them or that any of them were tortured here."
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Later the delegation inquired about BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the DB chief said.
"We told them that he [Rizvi] is accused in several cases. Still, he is distributing anti-government, anti-state leaflets. We showed them the leaflet. The leaflet calls for boycott of elections and non-payment of taxes."
Harun said the delegation also wanted to know about the attack on Hero Alom.
"We clarified that the incident occurred during a previous election and took place outside the polling station on the street. We have arrested everyone involved in that incident," the DB chief said.
