Arrests of BNP, like-minded leaders continue; Fakhrul condemns

Three more BNP leaders, including Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee,  and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho have been arrested.

Law enforcers arrested BNP joint secretary general Anee from the capital’s Elephant Road area on Thursday afternoon, said his brother Happy Chowdhury.

A team of the detective branch (DB) of police arrested Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a former MP and son-in-law of Awami League MP Sheikh Helal, from his Gulshan residence early Thursday,  said Monirul Islam, deputy commissioner (DB) of Gulshan Division.

Later, a Dhaka court placed Partho on a five-day remand in a case filed over vandalising and setting Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on fire on July 18.

Another team of DB arrested the BNP voluntary wing Swecchashebok Dal’s Dhaka South unit general secretary, who was picked up on Wednesday night from the Khilgaon area, said BNP chairperson’s media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.

Besides, BNP’s health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam, national executive committee member Tariqul Islam Tenjing, BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu’s son Saniat  (who is not involved in politics) were arrested from different parts of the capital earlier as part of arrest spree across the country over quota movement.

In statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir strongly condemned the arrest of the opposition leaders and workers.

He also urged the government to release the arrested leaders and workers of BNP and other opposition parties unconditionally after immediately withdrawing the politically motivated cases filed against them.