On Thursday morning police arrested seven BNP leaders, including the party’s Central Organising Committee Secretary Golam Akbar Khandaker at the city’s Kazir Dewri intersection.
Mirza Sayem Mahmud, assistant commissioner of Kotwali zone police, said: “Police picked up Golam Akbar Khandaker along with six other BNP leaders at around 9:30am for their alleged involvement in torching and vandalizing vehicles in the city during Wednesday’s blockade.
On Wednesday night, two separate cases of arson and vandalism were filed with the Kotwali police station against them,” he added.
Two passengers were burned when pickets set a CNG fueled auto-rickshaw on fire at the Kazir Dewri intersection at around 9:15am on Wednesday.
At least 50 trucks were vandalised in the Nimtala Biswa road area on the same day.
Kotwali police said the BNP leaders were arrested for their involvement in the two incidents.
The port city of Chittagong became a battlefield as law enforcers clashed with blockade supporters in several areas of the city on Wednesday morning. 20 people were detained in a police drive in Kazir Dewri, Wasa intersection and Almas intersection areas.
Pickets chased a driver to his death in the port city on the same day.
