Police arrested BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and the party’s central Organising Secretary Golam Akbar Khandakar on Thursday.
Police picked Mir Nasir up from Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong around 9:25pm after receiving information from the airport immigration when he attempted to go to the capital by air, Abdullah Hel Baki, deputy commissioner (DC) of south zone in Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), told the Dhaka Tribune.
Earlier, police arrested Golam Akbar Khandakar in the morning from the port city while a Chittagong court sent the BNP leader to jail rejecting bail prayer.
Police also arrested at least 40 leaders and activists of BNP and its allies on Thursday. Seven cases were filed accusing around 2500 people, including the top leaders of BNP and Jamaat, in connection with Wednesday’s violence during the blockade programme in the city and elsewhere in the district.
BNP leaders Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Golam Akbar Khandakar, Dr Shahadat Hossain and Aslam Chowdhury and Jamaat leader ANM Shamsul Islam MP are among the accused in the cases.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Thursday rejected the bail pleas of five BNP senior leaders in two cases, filed for “attempting to kill lawmen and provoking violence” and damaging and setting fire to vehicles.
Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahurul Haque passed the order after hearing the bail plea on Thursday.
The five leaders are BNP Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Advisor Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.