150 BNP, Jamaat men reportedly arrested ahead of 28 Oct rallies

The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have claimed that at least 150 leaders and activists of their parties have been arrested from various parts of the country since Wednesday night ahead of their rallies in the capital slated for 28 October. 

The BNP is prepared to hold its pre-scheduled rally in front of the party office on Saturday, while the ruling Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami have also announced their programmes for the same day in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque and Shapla Chattar of Motijheel respectively.

BNP and Jamaat leaders believe the arrests were conducted in order to instill fear among the people in anticipation of the rallies.

"Khulna district and city police started the arrest operation from Tuesday night, taking 52 BNP men to courts till 6pm Thursday," Mizanur Rahman Milton, Member Secretary of the district BNP's media cell, told The Business Standard.

Of them, the Metropolitan Police arrested 31 people and the district police arrested 21 people along with 5 Jamaat men, he added.

In Rajshahi, 35 people, including district Chhatra Dal Senior Joint Convener Abdur Sabur Bullet and District Krishak Dal Senior Joint Convenor Md Roni, were arrested on Wednesday night, BNP's zilla committee member Mamunur Rashid told The Business Standard today.

However, Rajshahi Superintendent of Police Saifur Rahman refuted the claim of arresting 35 people.

He said, "BNP leaders and activists were attempting to incite unrest during a procession in Bagmara upazila of the district last evening. Nine individuals were detained at the scene, and one additional person was apprehended in an old case from Durgapur upazila."

In Dinajpur, 15 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat were allegedly arrested from different upazilas of the district.

Among them, six people were arrested from Sadar and Chirirbandar upazilas. Additionally, the police arrested five people from Ghoraghat, three from Nawabganj, and one from Birampur upazilas.

In Thakurgaon, 16 activists of BNP were arrested from different upazilas in a night-long raid on Wednesday, zilla BNP office secretary Mamunur Rashid Mamun told The Business Standard.

Thakurgaon Superintendent of Police Uttam Prasad Pathak said 13 BNP men and three Jamaat men were arrested in the cases filed on charge of sabotage and obstructing police work.

BNP leaders claim that at least 27 leaders and activists were arrested in Pabna during raids conducted in various locations across nine upazilas of the district from last Wednesday night to Thursday morning.