Police on Friday released a local Awami League leader, who was detained on suspicion of having links with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, from the capital's Baitul Mukarram area on Friday.
He was released after preliminary interrogations from the Paltan police station, reports Bangla Tribune.
Earlier in the day, Abdul Motaleb, the former publicity secretary of Nageshwari upazila unit Awami League of Kurigram and the former chairman of Berubari Union Parishad of the upazila, was detained by police.
Abdul Motaleb is currently a member of upazila Awami League, his elder brother, Abdul Mannan, told Bangla Tribune.
He identified Motaleb after seeing his photos published in various media outlets.
Abdul Mannan said that Motaleb went to Dhaka to join Awami League's council which was held on December 24.
Since then he has been staying in Dhaka. When he came out after Friday prayers from the Baitul Mukarram mosque, the police detained him.
Abdul Mannan claimed that it was impossible that his brother had links with Jamaat.
“He (Motaleb) has been involved in Awami League politics since childhood. No one in our entire family has links with Jamaat. Our father, the late Matiar Rahman was one of the organizers of the Liberation War.”
Demanding the release of his brother, Mannan said: "The police must have made a mistake. I demand the immediate release of my brother.”
Nageshwari Upazila Chairman and General Secretary of Upazila Awami League Mustafa Zaman said: "I have confirmed Motaleb's arrest after seeing pictures in the media. It's sad. He is an Awami League politician. He is the 17th member of our current upazila committee. We demand his release.”
A clash broke out between the law enforcers and activists and leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir in the capital's Malibagh as they tried to bring out a procession after Juma prayers, police said, reports UNB.
Several people, including 10 policemen and Jamaat- Shibir men sustained injuries during the clash.
Later, the police detained three people in the Paltan and Baitul Mukarram areas while they were chanting slogans criticizing the government.
