Bangladesh: Main opposition leader sent to jail days after anti-government rally; BNP calls for 3-day blockade

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sent to jail in a case filed over an attack on the chief justice's home allegedly by BNP activists, Dhaka Tribune reported on Sunday.

Bangladesh leading opposition leader was sent to jail after being detained in a case filed over an attack on the Chief Justice's home allegedly by activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Dhaka Tribune reported. This comes amidst tensions between the ruling party and the opposition parties ahead of general elections that are due in January 2024. The Opposition are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founding leader, arguing she cannot be trusted to hold free and fair elections after being in office for more than 15 years.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the opposition BNP was detained for interrogation on Sunday , a day after a protest rally was held by the party in Dhaka against the ruling government, the Bangladesh daily reported on Sunday. Dhaka Police presented the BNP leader in the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Sunday night. The investigating officer requested the opposition leader be kept in jail for the sake of investigation, while his lawyer applied for bail.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shafi Uddin turned down the bail plea and granted the police's request, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. Along with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 59 others from the BNP are also accused, including Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Barkat Ullah Bulu, and Abdul Awal Mintoo, who are BNP standing committee members and vice chairmen.

According to the case documents, before the start of the BNP's rally on Saturday, party leaders and activists vandalized the Chief Justice's home. Later, a case was filed at the Ramna police station in this connection, Dhaka Tribune reported. Violence had broken out during Saturday's protests as police and BNP workers clashed, resulting in the death of police officer and a political activist while several others were injured.

Alamgir was detained at his Gulshan home by the Detective Branch (DB) of police at around 9:30am on Sunday and his wife, Rahat Ara Begum was quoted as saying in the Dhaka Tribune that DB officers arrived at their residence in the morning and talked to the BNP leader. The Bangladesh daily reported that Alamgir has been made the key accused in a case filed over the death of constable Amirul Islam Parvez in Saturday's clash between BNP workers and and law enforcement in the Fakirapul area of Dhaka.

Meanwhile, the BNP, led by former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia has denounced Alamgir's detention and announced a three-day blockade of mainly roads and public transportation across the country starting from Tuesday. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)