The Awami League-led government arrested several leaders of BNP after being re-elected in landslide majority in the 10th parliamentary polls.
The arrests were made after clear messages from lawmakers and the prime minister that the government will come down hard against “terrorism.”
BNP leaders Nizamuddin Ahmed, Fazlul Haque and the party’s chairperson’s advisor Khandaker Mahbub Hossain were arrested on Tuesday afternoon.
BNP Vice Chairperson Selima Rahman was arrested on Tuesday evening after she announced an extension to the party’s agitation programme.
The arrests were made without proper explanation from authorities in view of BNP’s continued agitation demanding fresh polls.
BNP, who boycotted the polls, declared a resistance to the elections with their Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman coming into play from London.
After Awami League won by a landslide margin, bagging 127 seats unelected, Tarique called upon supporters to continue agitation.
The 10th polls saw a poor voter turnout, violence claiming at least 18 lives and a nightmare for the minority community in some areas of the country.
With India supporting the elections and the United States in disapproval of the polls, the new government is set to form within January.
Sheikh Hasina, on her first media appearance after the elections, said her government will come down on a zero-level tolerance on “terrorism.”
She voiced the same while meeting President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Tuesday evening.
However, the premier also called BNP to leave the company of Jamaat-e-Islami and reach a consensus for the next parliamentary elections.
The BNP, on the other hand, said they are ready to hold talks. They also sought the “help” of international community to “aide their cause.”
Meanwhile, about 200 people died in the violence arising from disparity between Awami League and BNP over the 10th parliamentary elections.