Unease in Dhaka before rivals’ rallies
An uneasy calm was prevailing in the capital ahead of the Awami League and BNP rallies today.
Police arrested over 500 people in the capital alone over the last two days, the BNP said. Besides, traffic was light on the streets yesterday, even though it was a weekday.
Hundreds of people offer their Juma prayers at the Baitul Mukarram on Fridays. The ruling AL's rally at the south gate of the mosque will presumably see thousands of activists gather in the area.
Abul Kalam Azad, who works for a company, said he went to his office in Paltan yesterday, but returned home early fearing violence.
"Some of my colleagues did not even go to work," he told The Daily Star.
Riot control vehicles and a large number of law enforcers were seen in front of the BNP office in Nayapaltan yesterday.
Police did not let journalists take photos in front of the BNP office. They even seized phones from journalists who went live on social media.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq yesterday said police, Rab, Armed Police Battalion, and Ansar will be on the city streets while the border guards will be ready to prevent any untoward situations.
Criminals may take advantage of the large gatherings of the two major parties and disrupt law and order, he added.
Regarding the large number of arrests, he said police detained wanted individuals and people they suspect to be criminals with the overall security in mind.
Besides, this was done as part of the regular efforts to combat crime.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said anyone attempting to create anarchy will face action.
He also requested all political parties to refrain from violence, and said the government would ensure public safety and security during these events.
The minister also discouraged political parties from holding rallies on streets.
Over the last two days, police raided different hotels and homes in the city.
At least 50 BNP leaders and activists were arrested at Midway Hotel in Nayapaltan while the Detective Branch (DB) of police early yesterday picked up Aktaruzzaman, former joint secretary of Chuadanga BNP, and 12 others from a house in Dhanmondi.
An eight-member team from Tejgaon Police Station searched all 51 hotel rooms of the New Grand Hotel Wednesday afternoon and asked the boarders why they were in Dhaka.
Police also instructed the hotel management not to let more than five people check-in together and check the NID cards and phone numbers of people getting rooms.
Our correspondent from Savar reported that police were checking vehicles entering the capital.
Our Gazipur correspondent reported that police yesterday raided at the houses of BNP leaders.
Akbar Ali Khan, officer-in-charge of Kaliakoir Police Station, however, said police did no such thing. Md Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Tongi Pashchim Police Station, said police nabbed two men from a "secret meeting" on Wednesday night.
At least 458 people were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka yesterday hours after they were arrested in the city. Of them, 362 were arrested in 54 political cases while 96 were shown on papers as arrested under Section-54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, under which cops can arrest individuals without a warrant.
Mahfuza Akhter, wife of a drugstore owner, said her husband Shafiqul Islam Shaheen was arrested at his pharmacy in the capital's Jurain on Wednesday.
"Around 10 or 12 years ago, he was a BNP activist. But he is no longer involved in politics."
Police produced Shafiqul before the CMM court of Dhaka yesterday as an arrestee in two old cases – one filed in March this year and the other in 2006.
Yesterday, anxious family members of many arrested BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of the court as police brought the opposition leaders and activists in prison buses.
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