DHAKA: Bangladesh police have arrested almost 8,000 opposition activists nationwide in the aftermath of breaking up a major rally in the capital, a report said on Sunday. The sweeping crackdown follows demands by the country’s major opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and its allies for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and allow a neutral government to oversee the upcoming general election in January.
Prime Minister Hasina, in power for 15 years, has overseen significant economic growth, but her administration has been criticized for alleged human rights violations and ruling with an iron fist. The United States has imposed sanctions on senior police figures in Bangladesh for widespread human rights abuses.
Last Saturday, over 100,000 opposition supporters gathered for a “grand rally” in central Dhaka, where clashes resulted in the death of a policeman. In response, the police launched a widespread crackdown on the BNP, leading to the arrests of thousands of activists. At least 162 top BNP leaders have been accused of involvement in the officer’s murder.
Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, Prothom Alo, reported on Sunday that at least 7,835 individuals had been detained across the country. National police spokesman Abir Siddique Shuvra stated that those arrested were facing criminal charges and warrants, without providing an exact number of detentions.
Crackdown Against Opposition in Bangladesh
Among the detainees are prominent BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the BNP’s top leader, and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, the party’s number two. On Sunday, BNP vice president Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, a former home minister and air force chief, was also arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion.
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The arrests coincide with the BNP’s enforcement of a new 48-hour nationwide transport blockade as part of its anti-government protests, significantly disrupting inter-city bus and lorry transport. Over the weekend, 11 buses were torched, according to a fire service spokesman.
The ongoing clashes have resulted in casualties on both sides. Police reported the death of at least four people since last Saturday, while the BNP claims that nine of its activists have died, and over 3,000 have been injured. The opposition, led by the ailing chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is under house arrest since her release from prison on corruption charges, has been protesting against Hasina’s government since September last year.
Hasina’s ruling Awami League maintains significant control in Bangladesh’s legislature, facing accusations of detaining tens of thousands of opposition activists, engaging in extrajudicial killings, and disappearing hundreds of opposition leaders and supporters.
