1,200 partymen arrested ahead of rally: BNP

The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have claimed that the law enforcers are intensifying arrests of their leaders and activists ahead of their rallies in the capital slated for Saturday.

According to BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, police arrested more than 1,200 of their partymen and filed 16 cases across the country in three days until Thursday night.

"Through the arrests, the ruling Awami League is unleashing state terrorism with the support of the law enforcers with an evil intention to hold an election without the participation of all parties," he told The Business Standard.

The BNP is prepared to hold its pre-scheduled rally in front of its central office at Nayapaltan on Saturday, while Jamaat also announced its programme for the same day at Shapla Chattar of Motijheel.

The ruling Awami League also announced to hold a rally  in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque.

BNP and Jamaat leaders believe the arrests are being made in order to instil fear among the party leaders and activists before the rallies.

On Wednesday, police arrested BNP leader Khairul Kabir Khokon and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Motiur Rahman Akhand.

Police also held Hashem, a member of the 18th Ward Committee of the Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP, in a raid in the Nilkhet area of the capital. 

New Market Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shafiqul Gani told the media that Hashem was arrested in a case filed for attacking police in front of Science Lab on May 24.

Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP leader Haji Monir Rahman alias Monir was arrested by Chawkbazar Police in the Kamrangirchar area.

Rajshahi BNP's district committee member and former organisational secretary Mamunur Rashid claimed that 35 partymen, including district Chhatra Dal's senior joint convener Abdul Sabbuur Bullet and district Krishak Dal senior joint convener Md Roni were arrested.

However, Rajshahi Superintendent of Police Saifur Rahman refuted the claim of arresting 35 people.

He said, "BNP leaders and activists were attempting to incite unrest during a procession in Bagmara upazila of the district last evening. Nine individuals were detained at the scene, and one additional person was apprehended in an old case from Durgapur upazila."

Mizanur Rahman Milton, member secretary of the district BNP's media cell, told TBS, "Khulna district and city police started the arrest operation from Tuesday night, taking 52 BNP men to courts till 6pm Thursday." 

Of them, the Metropolitan Police arrested 31 people and the district police arrested 21 people along with 5 Jamaat men, he added.

In Dinajpur, 15 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat were allegedly arrested from different upazilas of the district.

In Thakurgaon, 16 activists of BNP were arrested from different upazilas in a night-long raid on Wednesday, zilla BNP office secretary Mamunur Rashid Mamun told TBS.

Thakurgaon Superintendent of Police Uttam Prasad Pathak said 13 BNP men and three Jamaat men were arrested in the cases filed on charge of sabotage and obstructing police work.

BNP leaders claim that at least 27 leaders and activists were arrested in Pabna from last Wednesday night to Thursday morning.

Police install checkpoints at entrances of capital

Police yesterday morning started a rigorous search by setting up checkpoints at various entrance points to the capital Dhaka.

At 12 noon, during a visit to the police checkpoint at Aminbazar, a TBS correspondent found that a significant number of police officers were stopping various vehicles heading to Dhaka, questioning passengers and, in some cases, searching their belongings.

Police were seen to have paid special attention to long-haul buses, public transportation, private cars, high-speed microbuses, and motorcycles heading to Dhaka.

Police asked passengers about their destination, where they are coming from, and their occupation. In some cases, police officers were seen checking passengers' identification documents to confirm their identity.

Senior police officials, including Md Shahidul Islam, additional superintendent of police (ASP) of the Dhaka district police (Savar Circle) and Dipok Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station, were present at the Aminbazar checkpoint.

ASP Md Shahidul Islam told The Business Standard, "Since there are two political rallies in the capital on the 28th, the police are conducting this checkpoint operation to ensure that no one enters Dhaka to create any violence or chaos."