All arrested BNP men have criminal charges: Home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has claimed that all the BNP leaders and activists who have been arrested so far have criminal charges against them.

"Legal action will naturally be taken against those who create public suffering or disobey the law," he said.

Speaking at the 40th-anniversary ceremony of the Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity Square on Sunday (23 July), the home minister insisted that BNP is not being obstructed from practising their political rights.

"Cases are being filed to control the law and order situation anyplace where vandalism is reported and this is normal.

"The prime minister has clearly stated that a party can carry out movements according to its manifesto and principles; we will not stop those. Yet, they claim that we are blocking them," he said.

The minister accused the BNP of organising programmes on the streets disregarding the people's sufferings.

Earlier on Saturday (22 July), police arrested at least 30 people in connection with BNP's youth rally for suspicious behaviour from the checkpost set up at the capital's Aminbazar. 

The arrests were made from morning to 12pm on Saturday (22 July), Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Savar Model police station Deepak Chandra Saha told The Business Standard.

So far, at least 22 cases were filed accusing some 15,000 people in nine districts. 

The BNP has often alleged harassment through arrests and detention, which they claimed are illegal.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has repeatedly said the government is conspiring to drive BNP off the field ahead of the upcoming national election by indiscriminately arresting its leaders and activists.

"This is the Awami League's old tactic…They [ruling Awami League] want the BNP off the equation before polls," the BNP leader claimed.

Sharing his own experience in prison, he earlier said, "The BNP men are subjected to inhumane treatment after they are put behind bars in false cases."