21 including BNP central leader detained

The law enforcers in separate drives have arrested 22 BNP leaders and activists including a central leader from Dhaka and Narayanganj.

In Dhaka, Assistant Organising Secretary of BNP Central Committee Masukur Rahman Mashuk was detained early today from Gulshan in connection with the attack on a police van in Supreme Court area on January 30.

The detention was made during a drive conducted by a police team, Devdas Bhattacharya, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), told The Daily Star today.

“We have been searching Mashuk for several days in connection with his involvement in the attack on police van,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Nazmul Alam, deputy commissioner of detective Branch (DB) of police, told The Daily Star that 13 BNP men, who were detained near Le Méridien Dhaka hotel where the party was holding its national executive committee meeting yesterday, will be produced before a Dhaka court later in the day.

On January 30, a group of BNP men attacked a prison van and snatched two of their fellows from it near Supreme Court area. The attackers also broke two rifles of the policemen guarding the van.

The incident occurred when the motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was crossing the area on way to her Gulshan residence from the court in Bakshibazar.

In Narayanganj, 20 activists of BNP including mayor of Rupganj municipality Abul Bashar Bachcha were detained on charge of carrying out subversive activities today.

Majharul Islam, inspector of Detective Branch of police in Narayanganj confirmed the detention to our local correspondent.

In the last couple of days, several hundred BNP men were arrested across the country.