Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Police raided the houses of several top-ranking leaders of main opposition BNP on Monday hours after they were sued for violence during Sunday’s strike, generally known hartal.
Police conducted a search at the residence of Jubo Dal President Sayed Moazzem Hossain Alal late Monday. But he was not arrested.
Locals said law enforcers entered the house of Alal, the chief of BNP’s youth front, around 11:00pm and combed through all rooms of his residence.
On the other hand, police remain cordoning off the Shantinagar residence of BNP Dhaka city member secretary Abdus Salam since 9:00pm.
Two cases were filed against a number of BNP-led 18-party alliance leaders and activists including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; party Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi; party leaders Mirza Abbas and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anny; Alal; and Liberal Democratic Party President Oli Ahmed around 11:00pm Sunday in connection with torching a vehicle near Prime Minister’s Office in the capital and exploding cocktails in Bangladesh Secretariat during Sunday’s hartal.
Earlier, law enforcers arrested two BNP leaders including Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in connection with the cases.
Police also raided the houses of Fakhrul Islam and Mirza Abbas hours after the cases were filed against them. The law enforcers could not arrest Fakhrul or Abbas as they were not at the residences during the raids.
BNP-led 18-party alliance called the hartal to protest the disappearance of BNP leader M Ilias Ali and his driver.
Mr. Ilias and his driver remain missing since the night of April 17.
BBN/SSR/AD-30Apr12-11:45 pm (BST)
