Detectives have detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, believed to have gathered for the party’s grand rally today, from an under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area early today (October 28, 2023).

Salahuddin Mia, officer-in-charge of Paltan Model Police Station, said a team of Detective Branch (DB) police conducted a drive in Kakrail at night.

Harun-or-Rashid, additional commissioner of DB under Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said some crude bombs were exploded in the area.

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After hearing the sounds of explosion, police and DB conducted a drive at an under-construction building and detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, he said.

They came from different parts of the country ahead of BNP’s grand rally, he added.

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Police also recovered a vehicle owned by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, placards, cooking items, sticks, iron rods and some unexploded crude bombs from the spot, the DB official said.

Rajib Al Masud, deputy commissioner of DB Motijheel Division, said that 15-20 bombs were hurled from the under-construction building targeting police around 1:30 am. “Police are trying to arrest those involved in the incident,” he said.

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Two policemen were injured in the explosion and they were taken to Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital, said Harun.

“Our goal was to ensure that no one creates any untoward incident centering BNP’s grand rally. There are 7-8 such buildings and many people have gathered in those buildings, from what we’ve heard. We’ll conduct drives there as well,” he added.