The party announced the fresh programmes following countrywide demonstrations, protesting against February 8 verdcit that jailed Khaleda for five years, for Friday and Saturday that was marked by police actions and arrests. BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programmes at a briefing at the BNP central office.
The party held protest rallies and processions across the country for the second day on Saturday amid police actions and arrests.
Reports received from different districts said that police either foiled demonstrations or did not allow BNP leaders and activists them to bring out processions or confined demonstrations putting barricades.
Police picked up BNP leaders and activists from the processions and rallies. Police also continued overnight raids on houses of BNP leaders and activists and arrested scores of them across the country.
BNP claimed that law enforcers had arrested over 4,200 leaders and activists, including 400 only on Saturday, across the country since January 30 centring the verdict delivered on February 8 by a special court jailing Khaleda for to five years and her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others for 10 years.
Announcing the fresh programme, Rizvi said that the government could not weaken Khaleda’s mental strength detaining her and hatching further conspiracy against her. He claimed that the BNP chief would lead the party keeping mental strength intact for people wherever she stayed.
The party earlier announced country wide protests for Friday and Saturday immediately after the pronouncement of the verdict on February 8 in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, terming it politically motivated.
As part of the programme, senior BNP leaders, including standing committee member Mirza Abbas, vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu and Khaleda’s adviser Zainul Abdin Farroque led a procession from Paltan at about 1:20pm.
As the procession of several thousand leaders, activists was passing by Fakhirerpul Panir Tank area crossing Dainik Bangla crossing, cops charged baton from behind the procession and dispersed them at about 1:30pm, witnesses said. BNP claimed that more than 40 leaders and activists, including Dhaka south city BNP vice-president Nabiullah, were picked up from the procession while over 50 were injured in police action. Paltan police station sub-inspector Sultana Akhter, however, confirmed arrest of 15.
Shahbagh police officials said that they arrested four in a case lodged with the police station on February 8 for attacking police while Khaleda’s motorcade was heading for Old Dhaka’s makeshift court. Official sources in Dhaka court said 10 accused in political cases were produced before the metropolitan magistrate courts on Saturday.
New Age correspondent in Sylhet, quoting police officials, reported that police arrested 25 BNP activists – 16 in the city and nine in different upazilas – in separate drives in 24 hours ending Saturday evening. In the afternoon, police foiled BNP procession in front of Bandar Bazar area in the city and arrested two.
In Comilla, police arrested four BNP and Chhatra Dal activists from Ponra Math under Debidwar while they were preparing to bring out a procession Saturday morning, said Debidwar police station officer-in-charge Mizanur Rahman.
In Netrokona, police foiled a procession of Mahila Dal at Moktarpara in the district town in the morning and detained five leaders and activists, including district convener Arifa Jesmin Nahin.
In Gaibandha, police arrested six activists of BNP and Jamaat at places early Saturday, said the district superintendent of police Mashruqur Rahman Khaled.
New Age correspondent in Jessore, quoting Kotwali police officer-in-charge AKM Azmal Huda, reported that sub-inspector Babun Chandra Biswas on Friday night lodged a case with Kotwali police station accusing 32 BNP leaders and activists, including district general secretary Syed Saberul Huq Sabu, of ‘attempt to oust the democratic’ government.
New Age correspondent in Shariatpur reported that police arrested six BNP leaders and activists on the district court premises after they ended a procession.
New Age correspondent in Jhenaidah, quoting the district police superintendent Mijanur Rahaman, reported that 25 BNP leaders and activists were arrested at four upazilas early Saturday.
Barisal City BNP held a demonstration in front of its office near Ashwini Kumar Hall in the morning while Khulna city and district BNP also held separate demonstrations in front of the district and city BNP office at KD Ghosh Road.
Tangail district BNP demonstrated in front of Victoria Road district BNP office protesting Khaleda’s conviction, our correspondent in Tangail reported. In Bogra, police kept the district BNP demonstration within 150 yards in front the party office putting barricade at both ends.
- Courtesy: new Age Feb 11, 2018
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