Staff Reporter :
In a sweeping crackdown following the recent student protests, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has detained a total of 1,758 individuals, including 20 prominent leaders affiliated with the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
The arrests were made in connection with 154 cases registered as of Tuesday noon, as disclosed by a press release from the DMP media wing.
According to DMP sources, 601 of the apprehended individuals were captured in combing operations conducted across different parts of the capital within the last 24 hours alone.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media), KN Roy Niaty, stated that these operations aim to curb subversive activities purportedly linked to the recent student movement.
Among the detained BNP leaders are prominent figures such as BNP Standing Committee Members Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, along with Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Aman Ullah Aman, and Zahir Uddin Swapan.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that approximately 2,000 leaders and activists of the party have been arrested nationwide, implicating them in cases related to the student protests.
The BNP also reported widespread search warrants and alleged harassment of its leaders and workers across the country.
However, concerns have been raised about the indiscriminate nature of these arrests. For instance, individuals like Sirajul Islam, a 32-year-old rickshaw puller who was reportedly detained in the Gopibagh area while on an errand to procure medicine for his mother, and Sahadath Hossain, a 30-year-old day labourer also arrested in the same area without specific allegations, highlight claims of arbitrary apprehensions.
Our Sr. Staff Reporter adds from Kishoreganj: The law enforcement members have arrested at least 60 BNP- Jamaat activists in connection with the quota reform issue in Kishoreganj and elsewhere over last four days till Wednesday morning.
Three cases have been filed in three police stations including Kishoreganj sadar, Pakundia and Bhairab in several incidents including police chase and counter-chase with students, obstruction of government work and Bhairab police station attack, traffic police boxes and government buildings vandalism.
When contacted the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Kishoreganj Md Rashel Sheikh told the New Nation that the cases are being investigated. In all these cases, 59 people have been arrested and sent to jail through the court.