Bangla army arrests leading academics, re-imposes curfew

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Dhaka, Aug 24 (UNI) The Bangladesh army-led joint forces have arrested four senior university teachers and a student leader for leading anti-government protests as indefinite curfew was re-imposed from tonight after being relaxed for 14 hours.

The teachers who were arrested late yesterday include general secretary of Dhaka University Teachers Association Professor Dr Anwar Hossain, Dean of Social Science Faculty Professor Harunor Rashid and former vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Syedur Rahman.

The army intelligence also arrested student leader Azizul Bari Helal, president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of former ruling BNP of ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

University teachers and students had staged a fierce agitation last Wednesday demanding withdrawal of the state of emergency imposed by the military-backed caretaker government on January 11.

Mobile phone networks were suspended from today evening. An official of Grameen Phone said the suspension was likely to continue until further orders by the government.

The Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) in a joint statement criticized the government for assaulting journalists, controlling the media and arresting university teachers.

BFUJ president Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul and general secretary Abdul Jalil and DUJ president Altaf Mahmud and general secretary Omar Faruq cautioned if the situation does not improve, newspaper publication will have to be stopped.

Meanwhile, people and traffic returned to streets in the capital during the 14-hour curfew-break today.

Witnesses said people crowded city markets to buy essentials for the weekend while Muslim devotees attended Juma prayers at mosques. Most shops and markets were open.

In Dhaka City, witnesses said university and college students stranded by sudden closure of their dormitories rushed to bus, launch and rail stations to leave the city for their hometowns.

On Wednesday, the government had closed sine die all universities and colleges in six divisional cities.

UNI

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