At least 700 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes with police, violence and arson attacks during BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.
“There are CCTVs everywhere in the capital and we are taking support of those. If the police fail to arrest the attackers, people catch them and bring them before the police. We are not sparing anyone,” he told reporters at the secretariat on Sunday.
“We have achieved Bangladesh’s independence through the Liberation War. The people of this country will not tolerate violence here,” he said.
Replying to a question about an allegation that three people torched a bus in front of the police, the home minister said, “The police caught the arson attackers red-handed.”
“BNP got detached from people following the arson attacks carried out in 2014-2015 and if they [BNP] do it again, they will again be detached from the people of the country,” he added.
Referring to the remarks of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that Awami League released BNP leaders Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Amanullah Aman after detention due to the new US visa policy, Asaduzzaman said, “The prime minister spoke clearly about the US visa policy and we have nothing to say.”
11 cases filed
At least 11 cases have been filed against 549 BNP leaders and activists in connection with the clashes between party activists and the police over its sit-in programme at Dhaka’s key entry points.
The cases were filed for clashes, vandalism and arson attacks during the sit-ins on Saturday, said Farooq Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Media and Public Relations Division.
Nine of the cases were filed by sub-inspectors of Uttara West, Uttara East, Bangshal, Airport, Kadamtali, Jatrabari, and Sutrapur police stations and the rest two by two individuals.
Farooq said BNP organised an “illegal rally” on Saturday ignoring DMP's disapproval. “They blasted crude bombs, vandalised buses and police cars, attacked police officers, and obstructed them from performing duties,” he said.
BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka was marred by clashes and violence on Saturday, leaving an unspecified number of people injured.
Several vehicles were torched in different areas, including Matuail and Shyamoli, during the clashes between BNP activists and the police.
The police also beat up BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, leaving him injured. The law enforcers later picked him up from the spot.
They also picked up BNP’s Dhaka north city unit Convener Amanullah Aman from Gabtoli Bus Terminal around 12 noon as he along with BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in there.
Later, they were released.
Clashes broke out between BNP leaders, activists and the police when the opposition activists gathered at several entry points of Dhaka to observe their five-hour sit-in programme.
The opposition leaders and activists locked in clashes with police at Dholaikhal, Uttara, Matuail, Rayerbagh and Gabtoli when they took position there observing their scheduled programme.
