15 more BNP men picked up by police: Mirza Abbas

Senior BNP leaders have alleged that 15 more leaders and activists of the party were detained by law enforcement personnel as they left the party's Nayapaltan central office on Saturday (19 August).

"Law enforcement officials in plain clothes are still lingering around the BNP office premises," BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas told media while claiming that everyone who left the Nayapaltan office from the evening hours until approximately 12:30am has been picked up.

Later on Sunday, DB Joint Commissioner (North) Khandkar Nurunnabi confirmed that 12 people, including BNP leader Robin, were arrested from the capital's Nightengale intersection on Saturday night.

As the news broke, senior BNP leaders including Mirza Abbas and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy visited the central office late at night.

On the other hand, DB confirmed the arrest of six Chhatra Dal leaders around 24 hours after they went missing.

After Friday (18 August) midnight, BNP claimed six leaders of its student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, have been picked up by plainclothes individuals who identified themselves as members of law enforcement agency.

In a press note, DMP said six leaders of DU and Dhaka metropolitan Chhatra Dal have been arrested, along with three foreign firearms and 37 rounds of bullets, while planning sabotage in the capital's Lalbagh.

"We have retrieved three pistols from their custody. Two distinct cases will be lodged against them, and a media briefing in this regard is scheduled for tomorrow," DB (Gulshan division) Deputy Commissioner Rifat Rahman Shamim told The Business Standard.

The press briefing is scheduled to be held at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday 11am.

Responding to queries by reporters, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy alleged that law enforcement closely monitoring BNP leaders and activists have persisted for the past 15 years.

Questioning the police action, he said, "A huge rally was held peacefully today. No such incident happened which will lead to the arrest of our leaders and activists."

BNP held an emergency press briefing in the early hours of Sunday (20 August) where it was claimed that Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP Acting Member Secretary Tanveer Ahmed Robin have been detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

During the briefing, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "Tanveer Ahmed Robin left the party office at midnight and was heading towards Nightingale intersection in a motorbike when detective police stationed around the office chased him. 

"Later, at one point, they surrounded the intersection and took him into custody."

The BNP leader further claimed that numerous individuals present at the scene were witnesses to the incident. 

"Besides witnesses, I have confirmed the detention by talking to his family although DB police are not admitting it. 

"It is inhumane to not admit after detaining someone. However, this behaviour of theirs remains consistent on their part," he added.

Rizvi issued a stark warning indicating that any further delay or lack of transparency would lead to dire consequences and demanded the immediate release of Robin and other BNP men.