Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on Saturday said police arrested BNP 54 leaders and activists from Banani Club as per the law of Bangladesh.
He was speaking to journalists at a program organized at the Padma Hall of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.
Regarding BNP's claim that the police arrested their leaders without a warrant while attending a private discussion program, the IGP replied: "Can we not detain without a warrant?"
When asked about the kind of activities BNP men were conducting during the secret meeting, Abdullah Al-Mamun said the full details will be mentioned in the first information report (FIR).
“We will take action after a thorough investigation,” he said.
Denying the BNP's claim that the arrest was made to hinder the opposition party's activities, the police chief said: “It is not true and everything will be cleared when an investigation will be conducted as per the case filed.”
On March 19, the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested 54 leaders and activists of the opposition BNP in a raid at Banani Club for holding a “secret meeting” after midnight.
The police claimed that the BNP men were planning to carry out anti-state activities.
The next day, police filed a case against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
