The crackdown on opposition leaders on Friday night – although approved by the government high-ups – was not a political decision. It was a decision of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
A top bureaucrat of the home ministry told the Dhaka Tribune on Saturday evening that the arrest of the opposition leaders “was not a political decision.”
“They were arrested based on intelligence reports,” the official said.
Police and intelligence sources said the deployment of additional forces in front of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence was also an idea of the DMP, which had convinced the government high-ups that arresting the opposition bigwigs would leave the party unable to continue its movement.
The Detective Branch of police arrested BNP Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah in front of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Friday night. Later, DB men arrested Khaleda’s Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.
They also raided the houses of several BNP leaders, including Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Abdus Salam.
Asked if the DMP had made the arrests and raids at the government’s directive, State Minister for Home Shamsul Huq Tuku said: “It is their [police] duty to arrest those who are involved in bombing and arson attacks. They did that on their own.”
Tuku also said: “The Dhaka Metropolitan Police made the arrests as per its investigation and decision for maintaining law and order, keeping criminals under control and ensuring security to the people of the country.”
Meanwhile, a number of top DMP officials claimed that they had been unaware of the decision of crackdown on the opposition. When contacted for comments after the arrest of three BNP leaders, the police officials said they had not been aware of it and would comment after talking to the officials concerned. A few of them said they had learnt about the arrests through the media.
Asked how the top ranking police officials could not have had any knowledge of such decisions, Shamsul Huq Tuku said it was not necessary and important for other officials to be aware of the DMP’s moves.
