7 among ex-JCD president held, bombs recovered from BNP office: DB Chief

Former President of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) Rownakul Islam Shraban and seven others were arrested along with several crude bombs form BNP’s Nayapaltan Central Office early Wednesday, said Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

They were arrested during a raid at Nayapaltan BNP office hours after violent clashes between quota reformists, police and Chhatra League activists across the country on Tuesday that left at least six people died and scores injured.

A DB team led by DMP’s Additional Commissioner and also DB Chief Md Harun-Or-Rashid conducted the midnight drive.

At a media briefing followed by the raid, the DB chief informed that they recovered several crude bombs and bamboo sticks from the washrooms of the BNP office and arrested seven people including Sharban.

“We (DB) had been monitoring the situation for the past few days. In continuation of it, the raid was conducted. We have got names of those who have been spreading rumours, financing and practicing ill politics, they all will be rounded up,” he said.

The DB chief claimed that a political party has been using the students for politics, anti-quota movement while the DB has started working to arrest them in several areas but their identities can’t be disclosed right now.

On the other hand, at an emergency virtual press conference, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the law enforcers raided the BNP office as part of the government’s masterplan.

He also termed the police raid at their office a foul play and a dangerous drama by the DB police.