Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders arrested

Dhaka, Jan 7: At least three Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders including Khaleda Zia's advisor Khandker Mahbub Hossain were arrested Tuesday.

Two other BNP leaders, organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milon and Nazimuddin Ahmed, were arrested in Dhaka around 3.30 p.m., reported bdnews24.com.

Earlier Tuesday, police arrested BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's advisor and bar council vice chairman Khandker Mahbub Hossain the moment he came out from an event at the national press club here.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman confirmed the arrests.

The office of opposition chief whip Zainal Abdin Farroque was also raided and Milon and Ahmed arrested from there.

"Police at first took all of us to the ground floor and picked us up in a car. Then again dropped us from the car and took us upstairs.

"Then keeping the two (Milon and Ahmed), they told us, you are not needed," said BNP leader Shirin Sultana.

Police said Hossain has been arrested for making "provocative" statements at a public meeting Dec 28, ahead of the opposition's March for Democracy protest. His remarks allegedly led to violence over the next two days.

Meanwhile, Awami League presidium member Obaidul Quader said Tuesday that the BNP would soon realise that it was "foolish" not to have taken part in the 10th general elections.

"The opposition will soon realise they were unwise to have missed the election train," Quader said at a party meeting.

The ruling Awami League was re-elected with a clear majority in Sunday's election which was boycotted by the 18-party opposition alliance.

IANS