Crackdown in Bangladesh 8,000 Opposition Activists Arrested
In a sweeping nationwide crackdown that has taken place since the authorities disbanded a major rally in the capital, Dhaka, nearly 8,000 opposition figures have been arrested, according to a report released on Sunday. These extensive detentions come in the lead-up to the general election scheduled for January.
The main opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and its allies have been holding massive rallies in recent months, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the establishment of a neutral government to oversee the elections.
The United States has imposed sanctions on some of the country’s high-ranking police officials due to widespread human rights violations. During a “grand rally” held in central Dhaka the previous Saturday, more than 100,000 opposition supporters gathered, and a police officer was killed in ensuing clashes.
Since then, the police have launched a widespread crackdown on the BNP, arresting thousands of activists and accusing at least 162 of its top leaders of being involved in the officer’s murder.
Based on reports from correspondents across the country, the country’s most widely read and respected newspaper, Prothom Alo, reported that at least 7,835 people have been detained. While National police spokesman Abir Siddique Shuvra could not provide an exact number of arrests, he mentioned that those arrested are facing criminal charges and warrants.
According to the BNP, among those detained are its top official in Bangladesh, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and his deputy, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
On Sunday, the Rapid Action Battalion of the country arrested BNP’s vice president, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, who is a former home minister and air force chief.
