BNP-police clashes: Party activists, leaders including Aman Ullah detained
Police detained Amanullah Aman from the capital's Gabtoli area
The BNP leaders and activists clashed with the police at Jatrabari, Gabtoli and Dholaikhal in the capital over the sit-in programme to press home the party's demand for election under a non-partisan government.
BNP Dhaka Metropolitan North Convener Amanullah Aman was detained from Gabtoli by police, DMP Joint Commissioner Liton Kumar Shaha confirmed.
At least 30 people have been detained from Gabtoli so far, a police official said.
Another 7-8 BNP men, including the party's senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, who was injured during a police charge, were detained from Jatrabari. However, Gayeshwar was released hours after his detention.
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"Gayeshwar Chandra Roy is being taken to his home in a police vehicle from DB office," said Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid, chief of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
He said, "Police provided assistance by transporting him in a car to the DB office, where he was ensured safety and protection."
Earlier, police arrested several other BNP men from Gabtoli SA Khaleque Bus Station, the place where the party was scheduled to hold a sit-in programme today.
Both the Jatrabari and Dholaikhal of the clashes began around 11:30am. At the time of filing this report, chases and counter-chases were going on, and both are throwing brickbats at each other.
Thousands of party leaders and activists, led by Dhaka district BNP General Secretary Nipun Roy, participated in the Dholaikhal sit-in. They took position on the streets and chanted anti-government slogans.
BNP announced the sit-in program from its grand rally yesterday (28 July) to press home the party's one-point demand that includes election under a non-partisan government after the resignation of the ruling party and dissolution of the parliament.
From a grand rally in the capital's Nayapaltan on Friday, the BNP announced sit-ins at major entry points to Dhaka on Saturday as part of its all-out movement to oust the Awami League government and to hold the upcoming national election under a non-partisan government.
The opposition party also called upon its leaders and activists not to leave the streets until the government steps down.
The Awami League, on the other hand, vowed to counter the opposition movement at any cost.
On Friday, three affiliated bodies of the ruling Awami League also held a rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram.
Following the BNP's announcement of the sit-in programme, the Awami League also announced holding programmes at the city's entry points.
The simultaneous programmes of the arch-rivals on the same day have made public transport owners worried.
Additional members of the police and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed to the important entrances of Dhaka ahead of the planned sit-ins.
