Detectives picked up two senior leaders of Jatiyatabadi Shwechchhasebak Dal, voluntary wing of the main opposition BNP, in the capital this evening.

The reasons behind the detention of Sharafat Ali Sapu, general secretary, and Shafiul Bari Babu, organising secretary, of the organisation, was not available immediately.

Abu Yusuf, an assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed the detention.

Law enforcers picked up Sapu, also a cousin of Zubaida Khan Rahman, wife of BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, and Babu in Bangla Motor area around 6:30pm.

Sources said the two were on their way to the Jatiya Press Club to attend a programme of party's Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

However, Munshiganj district BNP called a half-day hartal in the district for Saturday to protest the arrest of Sapu.

Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal and BNP announced to enforce eights hour hartal at Munshiganj and Laxmipur for Saturday protesting the arrest of the two leaders.

Earlier on March 8 police arrested five top leaders of BNP --MK Anwar, 81, and Moudud Ahmed, 73, Rafiqul Islam Mia, 71, Abdul Awal Mintoo, 56, and Shimul Biswas, 53 -- on different charges.