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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Mass Arrests Continue in Bangladesh Capital |
| 2004-04-24 |
| Buoyed by success in foiling the opposition move to siege Hawa Bhaban, the political office of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, law enforcers have launched a fresh crackdown to frustrate any attempt of the Awami League to force the government to resign by April 30. Police continued their lightning swoop at different places in the capital and more than 2,500 were arrested till yesterday. The arrested were being shown held randomly on various charges. According to the police, most of the people were shown arrested under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Act while a few of them were netted in regular cases or warrants. The raids were conducted mainly at all the entry points to the capital such as railway stations, bus terminals and launch terminals and stadiums, market places and some opposition party offices. Barring a few people â the aged, females and the sick â all the people were taken to the police stations concerned. The police released some of them after questioning while the others were shown arrested on different charges. Many of the police stations in the capital were seen crowded with the arrested. They were kept in the duty officersâ rooms as there was no room for them in the lockups. Many of the arrested shouted claiming themselves âinnocentâ and blamed the police for implicating them on âfalse chargesâ. The police said the raids would continue till April 30, the deadline set by the Awami League for the BNP-led four-party alliance government to resign and pave the way for midterm general election. |
| Posted by:Fred |