Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh police arrested six leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose political activities remain banned, during what officers described as a “secret” meeting at a restaurant in Dhaka on Friday night.
The six, Mehedi Masud Chowdhury, 55, SM Rezwan Habib Alif, 33, Nannu Mia, 38, Aminur Rahman, 42, Sajal Ahmed, 29, and Ibrahim Hossain, 33, were detained by a team from Gulshan police station around 9.30pm.
Gulshan police station officer-in-charge Daud Hossain said police received a tip-off that a group of Awami League leaders and activists were meeting at a restaurant on the fourth floor of Police Plaza.
Police subsequently raided the premises and arrested the six.
“During preliminary interrogation, we learned that they had planned to hold a procession in the capital after the meeting,” Hossain said, adding that further legal action was under way.
The arrests came on a day when Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed accused the Awami League of attempting to create instability in Bangladesh and said the party would not be allowed to resume political activities.
Responding to recent statements by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Salahuddin said: “What Sheikh Hasina? Where did she make the statement? Has anyone even seen her? Occasionally, only her voice is heard. They are trying to see whether they can create instability in Bangladesh, but the people of this country will never accept such attempts.”
He said those accused of genocide and crimes against humanity had neither shown remorse nor sought forgiveness from the people.
“They will never be allowed to carry out political activities in this country. The people of Bangladesh will never permit them to return to politics,” he said.
Salahuddin added that Awami League leaders might issue statements from abroad from time to time, but the government no longer attached importance to them.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami also stepped up criticism of the Awami League on Friday, while accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s affairs and demanding that Hasina be brought back to face trial.
Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman said maintaining peace and public order was the government’s responsibility and rejected violence as a political tool.
“There is no place for violence in politics. For decades, violence has largely originated from the ruling side. Since the birth of Bangladesh, muscle power has been used in politics, and no government has been able to free itself from this culture,” he said at a meeting with journalists in Bagerhat.
Referring to the Awami League, Shafiqur said the party was not yet fit to return to politics.
“The Awami League committed murders, enforced disappearances and many other crimes. They must be brought to justice. The government must take responsibility for bringing Sheikh Hasina back so that she can face trial,” he said.
In a separate statement, Jamaat secretary general Mia Golam Porwar criticised India for allowing Hasina to address a press conference in New Delhi, describing it as a breach of diplomatic norms.
He alleged that permitting Hasina to conduct political activities from Delhi despite Dhaka’s objections amounted to a violation of diplomatic courtesy and international norms.
Porwar also accused the previous Awami League government of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and repression during its 16-and-a-half years in power.
He urged the Bangladesh government to intensify diplomatic efforts to bring Hasina back, including seeking an Interpol Red Notice and assistance from the United Nations, warning that continued failure to act would leave the government answerable to the public.