BNP men fear 'unwarranted' arrest
Jubo Dal president of Khulna city unit Mahbub Hasan Piaru was out of jail for the last one year on bail from the higher court. But police arrested him in early hours of May 3 under Special Powers Act, claiming he was involved in subversive activities.
Piaru was one of the 21 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations arrested by law enforcers that day, 13 days before the Khulna City Corporation election.
BNP-nominated mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Monju claimed that in the last few days, police have also arrested several of his party men who have no cases against them. They had come to Khulna city to carry out electioneering for him, he said.
Fearing further arrests, BNP activists are not staying at their houses at night, party insiders said.
BNP has termed the sudden police drives against its leaders and activists a move to create panic among the opposition.
If law enforcement agencies had any complaint against any BNP men, they could have arrested them after the election, Monju told The Daily Star.
“Awami League men are intimidating our people. Moreover, police are arresting BNP men. Is this the level playing field for the election?” he questioned.
Shafiqul Islam Mona, president of BNP Khulna district, said police arrested 42 BNP men in the last one week from different parts of the district, and 30 from the city. Most of them were arrested in cases filed two to three years ago on charges of vandalism and arson attacks, and some had no case against them, he said.
BNP office sources said three ward-level leaders -- Golam Mostafa Bhutta, Saiful Islam Shantu and Rafiqul Islam -- were arrested on May 2 from Khalishpur, although they were out of jail on bail from the High Court.
The government's target is to create a sense of panic among city dwellers so they do not dare to cast their votes on the election day, said Mizanur Rahman Babu, mayoral candidate of Communist Party of Bangladesh.
Sonali Sen, additional deputy commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that it is a violation of court order if police arrest anyone who has secured bail from the High Court.
“If BNP can provide proper documents about the arrested persons, we will take necessary steps,” she said.
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