BNP rally: 35 detained while entering Dhaka

At least 35 people were detained while entering the capital through the city's Abdullahpur and Savar's Aminbazar entry points today.

They were detained, while law enforcers were conducting a thorough check of visitors' identity, luggage, and vehicles by setting up checkpoints at Savar, Gabtoli, Abdullahpur and Tongi.

From morning, this newspaper found that law enforcers were asking passengers where they were headed and their purpose of visits as part of stepping up their security measures.

At Aminbazar check post, Detective Branch (DB) men were seen interrogating people entering the capital on bus, motorbikes, three-wheelers and other vehicles. Pedestrians were also searched and interrogated at those checkpoints.

In Aminbazar checkpoint, 23 people were detaiend as their behaviour found to be suspicious, said Abdullah Al Kafi, additional superintendent of police of Dhaka MEtropolitan Police (DMP).

The detainees were sent to Savar Police Station for further questioning, the police official told The Daily Star.

While talking to this newspaper, Mijanur Rahman, one of the detainees, asked, "What did I do wrong by supporting a political party?"

"As a citizen, I vote, I pay tax, so, why did they detain me like that?" he asked, while police officials took him away into a police van.

Meanwhile in the city's Abdullahpur area, around 12 were detained on the same grounds at a police check post.

Rajib Hossain, one of the detainees, who introduced himself as joint secretary of Noakhali district unit Chhatra Dal, said, "I came to join the BNP rally in Dhaka. But they stopped me at the check post and asked about my whereabouts. They forcibly took away my phone and searched the device."

"At one point of interrogation, when I admitted that I came to Dhaka to join the rally, they detained me," he added.

Tapash Kumar Das, additional superintendent of Police in Uttara Division, (airport zone) said, "We sent them to police custody for questioning,"

"Police can check anyone's mobile phone, if there are any security concerns for citizens," he added.

"Action will be taken against the detainees if we find anything in the interrogation. Otherwise, they will be released," Additional SP Kafi told this newspaper.