Arrest of party men continues: BNP tells EC

BNP today alleged that law enforcers were continuing to arrest their party men even after the schedule of the national election was announced.

BNP came up with the allegation today in a letter signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, adding that drives have been conducted at the houses of its activists and supporters. 

Salah Uddin Khan, who keeps the record of cases against BNP activists, today handed over the letter to the concerned official at the office of the Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, reports our staff correspondent from the spot.

“Although law enforcers now work under the Election Commission after the schedule of the national election was announced, the law enforcers continued the arrest of BNP men accusing them of fabricated cases ignoring the commission’s directives,” said Fakhrul in the letter.

The BNP claimed that law enforcers arrested 773 leaders and activists of BNP after the Election Commission announced the schedule of the 11th parliamentary election on November 8.

It urged the EC to take necessary steps for the unconditional release of all the arrested leaders and activists of the party and the opposition alliance. They also urged the withdrawal of all false cases against them.

“We sent a list of 773 arrested BNP men to you (CEC) on November 15,” he said.  

When asked, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told reporters that he is yet to see the list of the arrestees. “The EC will instruct police to exercise restraint if we find the cases are politically motivated,” he said.

Earlier, on November 15, the BNP sent a letter to the CEC seeking his intervention to stop the filing of “false cases” and the arrest of its leaders and activists ahead of the December 30 parliamentary polls.

On Wednesday, Jatiya Oikyafront, a newly formed alliance comprising of BNP and several other parties, placed several demands at a meeting with the commission at the EC Secretariat in the capital.

During the meeting, the Oikyafront leaders also informed the EC about the reshuffle in the public administration and warned of “fictitious cases” against leaders and activists of the alliance.

Later, the EC sought a list of arrested leaders and activists of the alliance, who were arrested after the schedule of the national election was announced.