DHAKA: The main opposition party in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), stated on Thursday that the police had carried out a sweeping crackdown, arresting hundreds of its supporters a day ahead of anti-government protests scheduled in the capital, Dhaka.
According to Zahir Uddin Swapan, the spokesman for the BNP, at least 538 party members were arrested since Wednesday. He further alleged that a former councillor had been subjected to physical assault.
However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruq Ahmed confirmed the arrest of 366 people since Wednesday but did not disclose their political affiliations.
The Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Police, Hayatul Islam Khan, mentioned that some BNP supporters were detained in a hotel in the capital, without providing additional details.
Local daily Prothom Alo, citing police sources, reported that a total of 411 people, including 366 BNP supporters, had been detained.
Call for Protests Across Bangladesh
The BNP, along with several smaller allies, has called for protests across Bangladesh, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the holding of January polls under a neutral caretaker government. However, Prime Minister Hasina rejected the demand, citing its unconstitutionality.
Hasina’s Awami League has held power in the country, ranked eighth in terms of population worldwide, since 2009. The government has faced accusations of human rights abuses and corruption.
Though the police denied permission for a protest on Thursday, they stated that rallies on Friday would be allowed, considering it to be a weekend in the Muslim-majority country.
Earlier protests in July drew tens of thousands of participants, leading to clashes resulting in one opposition activist’s death and injuries to hundreds. The opposition blamed these incidents on ruling party supporters.
The political climate in Bangladesh has raised concerns among Western governments due to the dominance of Hasina’s party in the legislature. Her security forces have faced accusations of detaining thousands of opposition activists, with hundreds killed in extrajudicial encounters, and numerous leaders and supporters allegedly disappeared.
