Politics
Fakhrul brought to DB office for questioning: DMP Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman on Sunday said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was brought to the office of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police for questioning.
“He (Fakhrul) was taken (from his residence) for questioning. We’ll inform (the media) if we find anything later through investigation,” he said.
The DMP boss made the remarks while talking to reporters after attending a namaz-e-janaza of slain police constable Amirul Islam Parvez at Rajarbagh Police Lines. Amirul was killed on Saturday in an attack during clashes between law enforcers and BNP supporters in the capital's Fakirapool area.
Read: BNP announces 3-day countrywide blockade from Tuesday
Habibur Rahman said 113 members of the police were also injured during violence on Saturday.
“Many of them are still in critical condition. We received news some time ago that another police person's life is in danger. You (journalists) know what happened as you saw it directly. These things (attacks) were done from a formal rally,” he said.
The DMP commissioner said many people might have been involved in the violence and attacks on law enforcers. “So, we’re looking for many people to bring them in for questioning.”
Read: Police cordon off BNP's central office with crime scene tape
He said their investigation into the violence is going on. “We will arrest more people based on the evidence after the investigation process is over.”
Earlier in the day, the DB police detained Fakhrul from his Gulshan residence.
Amid BNP’s hartal, detectives raided Fakhrul’s Gulshan-2 house and detained him around 9:20 am, said BNP media wing member Sairul Kabir Khan.
Later, he was taken to the DB’s Minto road office, said Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The detention came as the opposition BNP called for a dawn-to-dusk nationwide hartal for Sunday to protest violence involving the party's grand rally at Nayapaltan on Saturday.
Fakhrul announced the shutdown after suspending the rally abruptly following violent clashes between law enforcers and opposition activists left at least two people, including the police constable, dead and several hundred others injured.
BNP announces 3-day countrywide blockade from Tuesday
After a daylong hartal on Sunday, BNP has announced countrywide blockades for three consecutive days starting on October 31 (Tuesday) to press home their one-point demand and to protest the attacks on the party’s Nayapaltan grand rally on Saturday.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement of the fresh programme at a virtual press briefing on Sunday evening.
He said the blockades will be observed on October 31, November 1 and 2 across the country to register BNP’s protest against the attack on its Nayapaltan grand rally, killings of its leaders and workers, arrest of over 1,000 opposition leaders and activists of different parties, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, raids on their houses and repression on them.
"The all-out blockades will be observed on roads, railways and waterways," Rizvi added.
Miscreants set BNP office on fire in Khulna
Rizvi said a Jubo Dal leader, Shamim, was killed in firing during the attacks on BNP’s rally at Nayapaltan on Saturday by the police and Awami League cadres.
He also claimed that the 'cadres' of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League beat Adabar thana Abdur Rashid mercilessly and killed him brutally by throwing him from an under-construction building when he was returning home after observing the hartal peacefully on Sunday.
Besides, Rizvi said the wife of Faridpur's Nagarkanda unit BNP leader died of cardiac arrest during the police raid on their house on Saturday while journalist Rafique Bhuiyan succumbed to his injuries after receiving bullets in police firing at BNP’s grand rally on Saturday.
He also protested the arrest of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the raids on the houses of party senior leaders, including standing committee members Mirza Abbas and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The BNP leader said police arrested 960 leaders and workers of their party and its associate bodies while around 30,000 were injured by the attacks of law enforcers and ruling party men centring its grand rally and Sunday’s hartal.
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
He said 20 cases were also filed against the opposition leaders and followers during the period.
Meanwhile, the nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by the BNP protesting the attacks on its grand rally at Nayapaltan ended amid the incidents of torching vehicles and clashes, leaving three people dead.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday announced the day-long nationwide shutdown as their grand rally was foiled following the violent clashes between law enforcers and opposition activists.
BNP man dies ‘while fleeing after attempting to set bus on fire’ in Dhaka
A 35-year-old local BNP leader, who tried to set a bus on fire, died after falling off a building while fleeing in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area during the nationwide daylong hartal enforced by BNP and Jamaat on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Abdur Rashid, local government affairs secretary of Adabor ward 30 unit of BNP.
Police cordon off BNP's central office with crime scene tape
Quoting witnesses, Mahfuzul Haque, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station, said Rashid tried to set a bus on fire in Mohammadpur Town Hall area during the hartal.
At one stage, local people chased him, forcing him to run away.
Ctg city traffic normal despite hartal
Being chased, he went to the rooftop of a building and fell from there while trying to jump to another building.
Police sent the body to the local hospital morgue.
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
Aminul Haque, member secretary of Dhaka North unit of BNP, said that a group of “Awami League men beat Rashid up mercilessly and killed him after pushing him from an under-construction building.”
Police cordon off BNP's central office with crime scene tape
In the wake of Saturday’s severe political violence, police have cordoned off the BNP's Nayapaltan central office with a crime scene yellow tape.
Amid the party’s hartal, the collapsible gate of the BNP central office was also found locked and no opposition leaders and workers were seen coming to the office area till 1pm on Sunday.
Talking to UNB, police officers present there, said they earmarked the areas in front of the main gate of the BNP office with the crime scene tape inscribed with "Do not cross' to collect evidence from there for investigation.
Also read: 2 including Jubo Dal activist arrested in connection with Constable Amirul murder
Ctg city traffic normal despite hartal
Traffic in Chattagram city remained normal during the hartal called by BNP and Jamaat on Sunday, even though long-distance buses did not operate.
City streets are unusually quiet, with fewer people around. However, private cars, autorickshaws, ambulances, pickups, and buses were seen plying.
BNP leaders and activists have not been on the streets, and as of filing this report, there was no report of picketing. BNP's city office is also closed.
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
There is a significant police presence in front of Kazi Deuri Nasiman Bhavan, but no sign of BNP leaders or activists. Nor of Jamaat.
Zahidul Karim Kochi, a former senior leader of the city committee of BNP, said, “All BNP leaders and workers are in Dhaka for a central programme, so there's no one here for the hartal. Nevertheless, the strike is proceeding peacefully.”
Meanwhile, the city's offices, courts, banks, and schools are operating as usual.
Law enforcement members have deployed in different parts of the city.
6 cases filed against 1300 BNP leaders, activists including Mirza Abbas with Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka
Mohammad Shahjahan, joint general secretary of Chittagong Road Transport Owners' Group, said, “Buses are running to Hathazari from Newmarket, and local vehicles are also in operation, though less frequently.”
“However, long-distance buses are halted, primarily because people are apprehensive about violence”, he added.
Liaquat, a minibus driver said, “Even during the strike, we have to go out to earn our wages.”
In a show of support for the hartal, Jamaat-Shibir leaders and members led a procession in the city earlier in the day.
Fakhrul detained, taken to DB office
The traffic movement was observed across the city, including commercial areas like Agrabad, Lalkhan Bazar, Khatunganj, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, GEC, Kazir Deuri, Newmarket, Agrabad, and New Bridge, since this morning.
Police presence has been noticed at various points around the city. This has been done to maintain order and prevent any disturbances, police said.
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) launched drives at the houses of several senior BNP leaders in the city on Saturday night, following the violence at Nayapaltan that left two people, including a police constable dead.
Police, both in uniform and plainclothes, cordoned off the Shahjahanpur residence of BNP’s Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas after 3 am. Police, however, left the house as the BNP leader was not there at that moment.
Miscreants set BNP office on fire in Khulna
Earlier, police also conducted a drive at BNP’s Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Minto's Gulshan residence around 12 am, but he was not at home at the time. Later, they picked up his son Tajwar M Awal from the residence.
Police also carried out drives at several BNP leaders' residences on Sunday morning.
Police detained BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir from his Gulshan residence on Sunday morning.
6 cases filed against 1300 BNP leaders, activists including Mirza Abbas with Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka
Amid BNP’s hartal, a group of law enforcers raided Fakhrul’s Gulshan-2 house and detained him around 9:25 am. Later, he was taken to DB headquarters on Minto Road.
Police also conducted drives at BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury's Banani residence at around 10:30 am but he was not at home.
Besides, police conducted drives at BNP's Joint Secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal’s homes at Lalmatia and Banani at around 10:40 am and 11:43 am respectively but the BNP leader was not there.
BNP leaders can’t deny role in yesterday’s violence that left a policeman dead: Home Minister
Police also raided the house of BNP Executive Committee member Ishraque Hossain's Gulshan residence at around 11 am but he was not there either.
6 cases filed against 1300 BNP leaders, activists including Mirza Abbas with Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka
At least 1300 BNP leaders and activists, including the party’s Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas, have been accused in six cases filed with Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka on Sunday.
Police filed the six cases, accusing the BNP leaders and activists on various charges, including bomb explosion, attacking police and snatching firearms from law enforcers during the party’s grand rally yesterday, said officer-in-charge of Shahjahanpur Police Station, Hafizur Rahman.
BNP denounces Fakhrul’s detention
Steps are on to file more cases, the OC added.
Jubo Dal leader killed, over 1,000 BNP leaders, activists injured in Nayapaltan violence: Fakhrul
Meanwhile, sources at the police station said that SI Mostafizur Rahman filed a case against 849 people, including Mirza Abbas, with the police station early today on charges of exploding cocktails and snatching police weapons yesterday.
Fakhrul detained, taken to DB office
Names of some 49 people, including Mirza Abbas, were mentioned, while 800 unnamed people were accused in the case.
Govt unleashed attacks, violence to foil BNP rally: Fakhrul
BNP leaders can’t deny role in yesterday’s violence that left a policeman dead: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said that BNP leaders cannot deny their role in the daylong violence yesterday that left a policeman dead.
The minister said this while replying to a question from journalists at the minister's office in Dhaka’s Secretariat today.
Read: Have footage of Chhatra Dal leader hacking policeman to death: Home Minister
Asaduzzaman Khan said cases will be filed in connection with all the attacks.
He said cases will be filed against those who entered the chief justice's house, beat a policeman to death, attacked a hospital, and set vehicles on fire.
“As far as I know, about 100 police officers were injured. Awami League’s women leaders were also attacked,” he added.
He said that if anyone wants to file cases in connection with the attacks on journalists, the cases will be accepted too.
Read: Haas queries home minister on security plan for BNP's Oct 28 rally
About the arrest of BNP leaders, the home minister said that senior leaders of the party were holding meetings when violence was underway.
“The DMP commissioner repeatedly asked them how far the boundaries of their rally would be, and they said it would be up to Nightingale crossing in Bijoynagar.
“Can the BNP leaders avoid responsibility for the violence that took place?” he asked.
BNP denounces Fakhrul’s detention
Denouncing the detention of its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam, BNP on Sunday alleged that the government did it to scare the people.
The party warned that the government will no longer be able to retain power by resorting to oppression and by killing, and arresting BNP leaders and workers as they are united under the leadership of their acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
In a statement, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also said, “The government has become desperate to hang onto power when the entire nation has burst into anger against it.”
Read: Fakhrul detained, taken to DB office
He said the ‘illegal’ government does not feel safe even after attacking BNP’s rally and firing and killing the opposition leaders and workers in a 'planned way' after seeing the presence of lakhs of people in BNP's programme.
“That’s why Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, one of the top leaders of BNP and the democratic movement, was taken away from his house by law enforcers this morning (Sunday morning). I strongly condemn and protest the arrest of the BNP secretary general and demand his immediate release."
Rizvi expressed deep concern over the arrest of a 75-year-old Fakhrul as he is seriously ill. “BNP leaders are being arrested to scare the people. But the people of the country are now united under the leadership of BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman.”
“I want to say clearly that the law enforcement forces and Awami cadres carried out the attacks on the BNP’s grand rally, shot, killed and indulged in all subversive acts. They’re responsible for this (violence),” he said.
Read: Streets empty, vehicles burnt and vandalised in Dhaka as BNP-Jamaat observe hartal
Earlier in the morning, Detective Branch (DB) of Police raided Fakhrul’s Gulshan-2 house and detained him around 9:25 am, said BNP media wing member Sairul Kabir Khan.
Later, he was taken to the DB’s Mintoo road office, said Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The detention came as the opposition BNP called for a dawn-to-dusk nationwide hartal for Sunday to protest violence centering the party's grand rally at Nayapaltan on Saturday.
Fakhrul announced the shutdown on Saturday after suspending the rally abruptly following violent clashes between law enforcers and opposition activists that killed at least two people, including a police constable and injured several hundred others.
Half an hour after the start of BNP's much-talked-about grand rally at Nayapaltan, the party's leaders and workers locked into a clash with the police at Kakrail. With the passage of time, violent clashes spread around Nayapaltan, forcing the BNP to abruptly call off the rally.
Fakhrul detained, taken to DB office
Detective Branch (DB) of Police detained BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir from his Gulshan residence on Sunday morning.
Amid BNP’s hartal, a group of law enforcers raided Fakhrul’s gulshan-2 house and detained him around 9.25 am, said BNP media wing member Sairul Kabir Khan.
Later, he was taken to the DB’s Mintoo road office, said Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
He said the BNP leader, who has been facing many cases, will be shown arrested.
Fakhrul’s wife Rahat Ara Begum said a team of DB police came to their house in the morning and talked to Fakhrul and others.
She said the law enforcers first took away all the CCTV camera devices and footages from the building of their house.
Read: Streets empty, vehicles burnt and vandalised in Dhaka as BNP-Jamaat observe hartal
“Ten minutes later, they came back again and took him (Fakhrul) away,” Rahat Ara said.
She said Fakhrul is very ill and he has been undergoing treatment.
“I can't accept that a 75-year-old man will be taken away in this way. I hope they will release him after questioning,” Rahat Ara said.
The detention came as opposition BNP called for a dawn-to-dusk nationwide hartal for Sunday to protest violence centering the party's grand rally at Nayapaltan on Saturday.
Fakhrul announced the shutdown after suspending the rally abruptly following violent clashes between law enforcers and opposition activists that killed at least two people, including a police constable and injured several hundred others.
Read: Nationwide hartal underway to protest attack on opposition rallies
Half an hour after the start of BNP's much-talked-about grand rally at Nayapaltan, the party's leaders and workers locked into a clash with the police at Kakrail. With the passage of time, violent clashes spread around Nayapaltan, forcing BNP to abruptly call off the rally.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police, its constable Aminul Islam, 30, was killed and 102 others were injured during the clashes with the opposition protesters.
DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Faruk Hossain said that the injured policemen were undergoing treatment at different hospitals, including Rajarbagh Police Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He said they were injured during clashes in Motijheel, Kakrail and Naya Paltan areas while on duty, Faruk Hossain added.
Besides, Jubo Dal claimed its Mugda thana unit leader Shamim Molla died at Rajarbagh Police Hospital after receiving bullets at Nayapaltan during the clashes.
Jubo Dal acting general secretary Shafiqul Islam Milton said Shamim was shot by law enforcers at Nayapaltan and he was declared dead while taken to the police hospital. He claimed that Shamim’s body was there at the police hospital morgue.