Case, arrest spree on ahead of Dec 10 rally
Failing to detain a BNP leader, police picked up his college-going son during a drive at their house in Narayanganj's Siddhirganj upazila early yesterday, claimed family members.
Hours later, the youth was shown arrested in a case under the explosives act, which was filed on December 1, and subsequently, he was sent to jail through a court in the afternoon, said police.
The arrestee is Robayet Ishfaq Pritom (20), son of Monirul Islam Robi, joint convener of BNP's district unit.
Talking to The Daily Star over phone, Monirul alleged that a team of police went to his house in Hirajheel area around 1:00am, when his wife and younger son were asleep.
"While I was away from home fearing arrest, police vandalised the furniture and valuables and picked up my son," he said.
Monirul claimed that he is now on bail in all the cases filed against him, and his two sons are not involved in politics.
"My younger son, a second-year student of Narayanganj College, is not even accused in any cases. We [BNP men] are staying away from home following the 'ghost cases'. Now, our children are being picked up," he said.
"I've heard that he is in the custody of Siddhirganj police, but I couldn't go to the police station fearing arrest," Monirul said in the afternoon.
Contacted, Inspector (Investigation) of Siddhirganj Police Station Hafizur Rahman said, "We have found his [Pritom] involvement in a subversive activity that took place in Mouchak area on Dhaka-Chattogram highway on November 30."
"A case was filed on December 1 with Siddhirganj Police Station in connection with the subversive activity. We have shown him [Pritom] arrested in the case and produced him in court, which sent him to jail," the officer added.
According to BNP, law enforcers are arresting party men and raiding their residences ahead of BNP's December 10 grand rally in Dhaka.
In Savar and Ashulia, police have so far filed at least five false cases in the last two weeks, accusing some 200 named BNP men and some 300 unnamed, said Md Shariful Alam, joint general of BNP's Ashulia thana unit BNP.
At least 15 of the partymen have been arrested in the last few days, he claimed while talking to The Daily Star yesterday.
He alleged that police are doing this to deter the partymen from joining the Dhaka rally.
Contacted, Aminul Islam, Dhaka's additional superintendent of police, said law enforcers are raiding houses of only those who are accused in criminal cases. "This is part of our regular duty."
In Kushtia, police on Tuesday filed two cases against 47 BNP men over their involvement in subversive activities.
Police have so far arrested four BNP men in the last two days in connection with the cases.
The BNP district unit's general secretary Sohrab Uddin said police have filed the ghost cases only to harass the partymen.
Contacted, officers-in-charge (OCs) of both the police stations said the accused are involved in subversive activities.
In Cumilla, police arrested two BNP leaders yesterday from the city's Badurtola area.
The arrestees are Ashiqur Rahman Mahmood Wasim, joint convener of Cumilla district (south) unit BNP, and Jahirul Islam, vice-president of the district unit Jubo Dal.
They were arrested when the partymen tried to bring out a protest rally yesterday noon.
OC of Cumilla's Kotwali Police Station Ahmed Sanjur Morshed said the duo were accused in criminal cases.
In Patuakhali, a BNP man was arrested early in the morning yesterday for his alleged involvement with cocktail bombs in Golachipa upazila.
The arrestee is Masudur Rahman, a local leader of BNP's front organisation Shechhashebak Dal.
Earlier on Wednesday night, three cocktail bombs exploded in the upazila headquarters, and and police seized seven more cocktails. But no one was hurt in the incident.
Contacted, Golachipa Police Station OC Shoshit Kumar Gayen said police were investigating whether the arrestee had any involvement with the incident.
Besides, police sued 885 BNP and its associate bodies' leaders mentioning names and over 2,250 unnamed others yesterday over Wednesday's clash between police and BNP men at Dhaka's Nayapaltan.
[Our correspondents from respective districts contributed to the report]
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