BNP protests face police actions

Police arrested at least 15 BNP leaders and activists in different cities and towns yesterday while they were protesting the verdict in Zia Charitable Trust Corruption case, according to reports from our correspondents.

The day before, a special court in Dhaka sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to seven years' rigorous imprisonment in the graft case in absentia.

Afterwards, BNP announced countrywide protests.

Police obstructed the party activists from holding rallies and charged them with batons in Barishal and Patuakhali.

In Barishal, at least four activists were injured in the police action. Later, the law enforcers arrested two of the activists.

BNP men tried to bring out a procession from Patuakhali Bar Association office in the town but police forcibly stopped it.

Later, Advocate Wahid Sarwer Kalam, senior secretary of the district unit of BNP, and some other party leaders held a meeting in a street corner.

Contacted, Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Patuakhali Police Station, refused to make any comment over the matter.

At least eight protesters were arrested from a procession in Sylhet city.

In Mymensingh, Prof Sheikh Amzad Ali, secretary of the city unit of BNP, was arrested at the party office in the afternoon after foiling a protest rally.

In Narayanganj, police arrested four persons from a procession of BNP brought out in front of Sayem Plaza on the city's Bangabandhu road.