Law enforcers intensify stop-and-search at Dhaka entry points, check passengers' phones

The law enforcement agencies beefed up their stop-and-search operations at various entry points to the capital ahead of massive rallies organised by the BNP, three associate organisations of the Awami League and other political parties on Friday.

The police checked the mobile phones of people entering Dhaka on Friday. A number of people detained at the check posts alleged that they were held for having photos of the BNP's programmes on their phones.

Eminent citizens of the country and human rights activists criticised the checking of mobile phones, saying it was a gross violation of the law.

In the capital's Abdullahpur, police checked buses and other vehicles. Some policemen checked passengers' mobile phones at the time. If anything suspicious was found on the mobiles, they seized them, said the passengers.

Fakrul Hasan – detained at Abdullahpur checkpoint while he was going from Tongi to Dhaka – told TBS that police detained him after finding a photo of a BNP rally on his mobile phone. But he was going to Dhaka on business, not to attend the rally.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) set up a check post in Gabtoli on Friday morning. RAB-4 Senior Assistant Director Mazharul Islam told The Business Standard that the force was stopping and checking any vehicle that aroused suspicious.

"We are checking whether there are any explosives or drugs on the vehicles. This drive is not to harass anyone," he said. 

An intensified search operation began at 9pm on Thursday (27 July) at Aminbazar, the entrance to the capital through the Dhaka-Aricha highway, slowing down traffic on the Dhaka-bound lane. 

Earlier on Thursday, the police were on high alert outside the 20-Bed Hospital in Aminbazar, Savar. Later that night, police set up barricades on the Dhaka-bound lane and started searching vehicles.

Fazlul Haque, detained inside the hospital, told TBS that he and his friends were coming from Chandra to Dhaka by a microbus to buy goods for their business. Police detained them after finding photos of the BNP rally on their mobile phones.

Photo: TBS

Another man named Sohail, detained at Aminbazar on his way from Rangpur to Dhaka, said he was coming to the capital with his friend to attend a training session at Brac. The police detained him as he did not have an identity card, and let go his friend since he had a Brac card.

Uttara East Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Nasir Uddin advised reporters to contact the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's media wing for comments regarding the matter, but there were none till the filing of this report.

Dhaka District Additional Superintendent of Police (crime), Abdulla Hil Kafi, said routine search activities were being emphasised due to the political parties' programmes in Dhaka, with the aim of preventing any acts of anarchy.

Regarding the checking of people's phones by the law enforcers, Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik said, "Harassing people on a mass level, and that too on a particular day, can never be justified by any law. It is simply an abuse of power, and it shows that the police department does not care about the rule of law," said the eminent jurist.

Shahdeen Malik, a constitutional expert, also said senior police officials should be held accountable for such practice, because "things like these cannot happen without their permission".

Awami League men allegedly assault BNP activist in Motijheel

A BNP activist was allegedly attacked by Awami League men outside Notre Dame College in the Motijheel area of the capital on Friday.

Md Anower Hossain, 28, rescued and rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital,  sustained severe injuries.

"Mahbubur's condition was serious, with visible injury marks possible due to being hit by sticks," said DMCH police outpost in-charge Md Bacchu Mia.

Babu Gazi, a companion of Mahbubur, told reporters that they were assaulted by Awami League activists wielding sticks while they were on their way to the BNP rally at approximately 4pm in the afternoon.