27 BNP men arrested for ‘creating panic’
November 22, 2009
Police arrested 27 BNP men at Nakla upazila headquarters under Sherpur district for allegedly creating panic among the locals early yesterday.
Locals said some 200 leaders and activists belonging to two factions of BNP Jhenaigati upazila unit gathered at the residence of former BNP whip Alhaj Zahed Ali Chowdhury on Friday night to settle the dispute between the two groups over formation of the upazila committee.
Police said the BNP men of the two factions armed with sticks reached Nakla from Jhenaigati at around 10:00pm by 50 to 60 motorbikes and a bus and later sat in a meeting at the residence of Zahed Ali Chowdhury at the upazila headquarter.
At around 1:00am, leaders and activists of both factions came out of the residence and took out separate processions, creating panic among the locals. Hearing noise, law enforcers rushed to the spot and arrested 27 people, they added.
Contacted, Sherpur Police Superintendent Md Anisur Rahman said the BNP men were holding meeting without informing the law enforcers at a time when the law enforcement agencies throughout the country are on high alert.
They also chanted slogans at dead of night, creating panic among the locals, he said, adding that police rushed to the spot to avert a possible clash between the two BNP factions and picked up 27 leaders and activists while the rest managed to flee.
District BNP Convener advocate Saiful Islam Kalam and Zahid Chowdhury denied the allegation. A case was lodged against the 27 with Nakla Police Station under Speedy Trial Act.
Our Staff correspondent in Dhaka adds: BNP yesterday strongly condemned the arrest of 27 leaders and activists of Jhenaigati upazila BNP unit at Nakla and demanded their immediate release.
In a statement, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain claimed that police arrested the local leaders and activists without any reason.
“Police arrested them when they were returning to Jhenaigati from a meeting organised to discuss the upcoming party council at Nakla,” said the BNP secretary general. He demanded immediate release of the BNP men.
Source: thedailystar.net
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