Police arrested 13 leaders and activists of Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, during a procession on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar on Tuesday.
According to police, around 35-40 leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies, carrying banners and sticks, brought out a procession in the Bhanga Bridge area on the highway around 1:00pm when a routine police patrol spotted them.
Police chased the group and managed to arrest 13 of them, while others escaped by swimming across a nearby water body, police said.
Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain of Savar Model Police Station said most of those arrested are residents of Savar municipality.
The arrestees were identified as Sagar Molla, Mohammad Ali, Raju Ahmed, Olil Mia, Rajib Sarkar, Pradip Kundu, Shahid Hossain, Ratan Kumar Rajbanshi, Moksedur Rahman Sohag, Hridoy Hossain, Jibon Saha, Mokammel Hossain and Sajib Mia.
Police said the former four work as drivers for rent-a-car service provider at Savar Bus Stand, while the remaining nine are leaders and activists of the Awami League and its associate organisations, said Inspector (Investigation) of Savar Model Police Station Nur Mohammad.