Police lock JaSaD office after mass detentions in Dhaka

Collected Photo

Police locked the central office of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) in Dhaka’s Gulistan on Saturday (September 26) after detaining a large number of people during an operation at the premises.

Paltan Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Islam said this evening that more than 200 people might have been detained from the office, although police had yet to complete a final count.

Arifur Islam said the JaSaD office had not been formally sealed, but police had placed a lock on the premises after the operation.

Police launched the operation on Saturday afternoon after receiving information about a gathering at the office.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police said officers acted after reports that slogans associated with the Awami League, whose activities are banned, had been heard from inside and that a meeting was underway.

Those detained were being taken to police stations for identity checks and further verification.

Earlier reports said dozens of people had initially been taken into custody for questioning as the operation continued.

JaSaD, however, rejected suggestions that the gathering involved the Awami League.

In a statement, the party said the programme was its central representatives’ meeting and that the DMP commissioner, the deputy commissioner of Motijheel division and the Paltan police chief had been informed beforehand.

JaSaD said it was not a banned political party and that its activities were not prohibited. The Election Commission currently lists the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) among registered political parties.

The party claimed that all those attending were JaSaD leaders or members and that no Awami League or other party activists had been allowed into the meeting.

JaSaD said around 500 representatives, including about 30 women, had attended the gathering and alleged that police surrounded the office and took participants to different police stations.