BNP leader Hafiz held
Detectives picked up BNP Vice-Chairman M Hafizuddin Ahmed in front of the capital's Jatiya Press Club when he was leaving there after declaring the party's fresh demonstration programme yesterday evening.
Former BNP lawmaker Rowshan Ara Farid, Mahila Dal leader Zannatul Ferdous and party activist Sadia Haque were arrested in front of the party's central office at Nayapaltan between 9:30 am and 11:00 am.
Police also randomly picked up several individuals from the area during the period.
BNP chairperson's adviser Enam Ahmed Chowdhury was picked up from the capital's Dainik Bangla intersection around 12:15 pm. He was released in the evening, DB sources said.
Law enforcers also arrested a large number of people, including opposition leaders and activists, after conducting raids in Dhaka and elsewhere against the backdrop of the opposition's 'March for Democracy' programme yesterday.
A source at Police Headquarters said the number of arrestees could be around 2,100. Around 1,500 people usually get arrested everyday.
This correspondent noticed that police were picking up pedestrians in the capital's Kakrail intersection around 9:45 am, and herding them into a police van.
According to Ramna, Shahbagh, Paltan and Motijheel police, over 330 detainees were behind bars in these police stations till 12:45 am today.
Of the detainees, around 212 were behind bars at Ramna Police Station and over 160 people were picked up yesterday alone, sources at the police stations said.
Some 50 people were seen waiting in front of Shahbagh Police Station around 12:30 am today, to communicate with their relatives who were locked up in the police station.
Outside the capital, the law enforcers arrested scores in Chittagong, Comilla, Moulvibazar, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Pabna, Bagerhat, Munshiganj, Bogra and Satkhira.
The joint forces arrested 57 Jamaat-Shibir activists in Satkania, Sitakunda and Lohagara upazilas of Chittagong.
During the drives, the forces also recovered 400gm gunpowder and three sharp weapons in Satkania, said Khaled Hossain, OC of Satkania Police Station.
In Comilla, the law enforcers arrested 20 BNP activists and 23 Jamaat-Shibir men from different parts of the district during a five-hour drive, SP Tutul Chakrabarty said.
All the arrestees were accused in cases filed in connection with the arson attacks and vandalism during recent hartals and blockades, he added.
In Moulvibazar, at least 15 Jamaat-Shibir men, including Jamaat leader Emdadul Islam, were arrested at Baralekha upazila headquarters around 9:00 am, said Abul Hasan, OC of Baralekha Police Station.
In Narsingdi, police arrested 40 BNP leaders and activists at Sadar upazila, as the arrestees were heading towards the capital for carrying out subversive activities, said Mohammad Asaduzzaman, OC of Narsingdi Model Police Station.
In Bogra, police conducted several raids in 10 upazilas early yesterday, and arrested 36 opposition men in connection with their involvement in recent anarchy and vandalism, said Gaziur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police.
Meanwhile, DB police arrested 11 Jamaat-Shibir men in separate drives in Satkhira from Saturday midnight to yesterday afternoon.
Of the arrestees, a mobile court awarded two-year imprisonment to Sayed Anwar Hossain on charge of sabotage.
The joint forces also arrested 18 BNP-Jamaat men in Munshiganj, 20 persons at Belkuchi upazila in Sirajganj, 20 BNP leaders in Kishoreganj, seven in Natore and 10 in Chapainawabganj.
Bagerhat police arrested Jamaat leader Matiur Rahman, who was an accused in a case filed in connection with a recent arson attack on vehicles in the district.
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