BNP today alleged that the government has given law enforcers a chance to indulge in ‘arrest trade’ as their Eid tips in the name of ongoing crackdown on militants.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said the law enforcers are mainly arresting common people and opposition activists during their drive having failed to track down militants.

“Law enforcers have arrested over 1,200 people to tackle secret killings since the operation was launched. The leaders and activists of BNP and other opposition parties are being detained though it was called a drive to suppress militants,” he said.

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The BNP leader also said, “An allegation of widespread arrest trade during the wholesale arrest is raised. Huge money is being extorted by intimidating common people and opposition leaders and activists. People think the illegal government, which depended on police, has created a scope for law enforcer to indulge in arrest trade as their tips ahead of Eid.”

In the wake of growing incidents of target killing, the police department launched a weeklong crackdown on militants across the country beginning on Friday morning.

Rizvi in the briefing also alleged that the prime minister doesn’t want to eliminate militancy. “Her main objective is to subdue the opposition. People think the government has a political motive behind the current drive by the law enforcers.”

Rizvi said the law enforcers in the name of the combing operation are raiding the houses of their party leaders and activists at different parts of the country without any arrest warrant.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent directive asking the members of law enforcement agencies not to arrest any one under the section 54, Rizvi said the apex court’s order is being violated by police. “We think it’s tantamount to an audacity of the law enforcers towards the court.”

Condemning the murder of Hindu ashram attendant Nittyaranjan Pandey in Pabna’s Hemayetpur, Rizvi said how the Hindu community member was hacked to death when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed to have all information as the head of the government.