BNP leaders of Gopalganj have alleged that law enforcers making mass arrests in Kotalipara of the district following the clashes during the rally of the National Citizen Party (NCP).
The allegations were made at a press conference at the BNP local office in Ghaghar Bazar of Kotalipara on Sunday.
SM Mohiuddin, president of the Kotalipara-unit BNP, said, “Local leaders and activists of Awami League blocked Kotalipara-Poisharhat road and gathered at the WABDA market for a protest rally. They cut down trees at various points along the road, disrupting public movement.”
Following the incident, police filed a case against 155 individuals and 1,500 unnamed persons.
Mohiuddin claimed that ordinary people were being harassed under the pretext of arrests in this case.
Kotalipara Upazila BNP general secretary Abul Bashar Hawlader said, “Most of the accused in the case are ordinary people who have no involvement in politics. So, how were these innocent people named as accused, and under whose influence?”
Oliur Rahman Hawlader, general secretary of the BNP’s Kotalipara municipal unit, said: “You (law enforcers) were present during the protests, but failed to detain a single person then. You have footage — why not use that to arrest the real culprits instead of innocent people?”
“We strongly condemn and protest the unjust arrests,” he said.
Issuing a warning, Oliur said, “We do politics for the people. If you continue to harass them, we will resist along with the masses.”
Replying to the allegations of the mass arrest, Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Kotalipara Police Station, said, “We aren’t making any mass arrest. We are only arresting those involved in the incident. So far, 30 individuals linked directly to the events have been detained. So, how is this considered a mass arrest?”