One in all Bangladesh’s most senior opposition politicians has been detained after lethal clashes between and anti-government protesters months forward of a common election.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the secretary-general of one of many nation’s largest opposition events, the Bangladesh Nationalist Get together (BNP). was taken into custody from his dwelling on Sunday, his spouse Rahat Ara Begum mentioned.
It comes after a minimum of one policeman died and dozens of others, together with opposition social gathering supporters, had been injured as hundreds of protesters joined rallies throughout the capital Dhaka on Saturday to demand the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The BNP introduced a day-long protest to stress Ms Hasina to step down and permit a non-partisan caretaker authorities to hold out free and honest elections, amid accusations of corruption and rights abuses.
The opposition has additionally accused the federal government of utilizing a brand new cybersecurity legislation to crack down on dissent.
Footage from Sunday confirmed Mr Alamgir waving to his supporters as he was pushed away in a police automobile.
“Police got here and seized all of the CCTV digital camera units from our constructing,” his spouse Ms Begum was quoted as saying by The Every day Star newspaper. “They mentioned that they had orders to arrest my husband. I hope they return him quickly.”
Bangladesh Nationalist Get together (BNP) secretary common Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gestures throughout a rally in entrance of their Nayapaltan workplace in Dhaka earlier than arrested
(EPA)
Dhaka metropolitan police commissioner Habibur Rahman mentioned Mr Alamgir was taken in for questioning in relation to violent protests.
Protesters carried out widespread arson, vandalism of public property and automobiles, and clashed with safety personnel in a minimum of 10 spots within the capital, Dhaka police spokesperson Faruk Hossain mentioned.
BNP spokesperson Zahiruddin Swapan mentioned greater than 1 million supporters have taken half within the protests, whereas the police estimated there have been about 200,000 protesters concerned.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) patrol on the road in the course of the dawn-to-dusk strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh
(EPA)
Violence had erupted in Dhaka’s Kakrail space when protesters attacked a bus transporting members of the ruling Awami League to a close-by rally, in line with eyewitnesses and media accounts.
Video footage broadcast on Somoy TV confirmed a police sales space engulfed in flames, broken automobiles and shattered glass from a close-by constructing.
By Saturday afternoon, the violence had escalated. Safety personnel deployed sound grenades and teargas on the rally location the place BNP supporters had been loudly voicing anti-government slogans.
“Our rally was peaceable. However the authorities have used extreme pressure to spoil our rally. They attacked our individuals mercilessly,” mentioned the BNP spokesperson Mr Swapan.
BNP chair and two-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who had beforehand been arrested and jailed, stays successfully underneath home arrest regardless of being launched in 2020 after getting a 17-year jail sentence. Mr Alamgir has been main the BNP since Zia was jailed and her son went into exile within the UK.
Ekattor TV station reported {that a} police hospital was attacked by protesters. Violence had unfold within the space and many individuals needed to take cowl in close by alleys.
The opposition mentioned it’s making an attempt a last push to take away Ms Hasina because the election fee prepares to announce Bangladesh’s 12th nationwide election, anticipated to be held in January.
Ms Hasina’s authorities has been going through questions over alleged irregularities in previous elections and a crackdown on dissent.
The US has pressured Dhaka to make sure the integrity of elections and imposed visa restrictions in Might for people from Bangladesh “chargeable for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election course of in Bangladesh”.
The US embassy in Dhaka on Saturday mentioned it condemned the political violence and referred to as for calm and restraint from all sides.
“The reported killing of a police officer, a political activist and the burning of a hospital are unacceptable,” the assertion mentioned. “As is violence in opposition to civilians, together with journalists.”
The embassy mentioned it will likely be reviewing all violent incidents for potential visa restrictions.
Ms Hasina lately mentioned in parliament that the US needed to take away her from energy at any price.
The opposition and the federal government’s critics have welcomed the US’s condemnation. The nation is Bangladesh’s largest importer of garment merchandise.