Police have filed four cases, accusing 684 BNP leaders and activists of assaulting them in Sunamganj since Tuesday. The party has been enforcing non-stop blockade across the country since Wednesday.
Over 93 persons, including District Chhatra Dal Joint Convenor Kamrul Islam Raju and Swechchhasebak Dal leader Golam Mawla were arrested in the cases.
The fear of further arrests has meanwhile forced hundreds of BNP men to desert houses while the party has claimed that there is little presence of the Jamaat and its student wing in the ongoing movement.
On January 5, Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain filed a case against 86 persons, including District Swechchhasebak Dal Convenor Abdullah Al-Noman and Chhatra Dal Convenor Nurul Islam with Sadar police station.
Of the accused, 30 have been kept unnamed in the case.
Another case was filed with the same police against 117 persons hours after Chhatra Dal and Chhatra League men clashed with police at the old bus stand on January 8.
Of the accused, 80 have been named in the case.
On January 6, Sub-Inspector Habib filed a case with Dakshin Sunamganj police against 174 persons, including District BNP Convenor Faruk Ahmed. Of them, 24 persons, including Faruk, have been named in the case.
Meanwhile, another case, according to police sources, has been filed with the same police against 307 persons, including Dharmapasha Upazila Chairman and BNP Convenor Motaleb Khan for assaulting police during a BNP factional clash in the upazila town.
Of the accused, 57 have been named in the case.
Terming the cases false, District Chhatra Dal Convenor Nurul Islam said such cases were being filed only to harass the party leaders and activists.
Dakshin Sunamganj BNP Convenor Faruk Ahmed said eight members of his family were made accused in the “false” cases and so police were raiding their village home every day.
District BNP Convenor and former MP Nasir Uddin Chowdhury said the government was having these cases filed by police against them only to hamper the peaceful movement.
He urged the government to withdraw the cases and release of those arrested in the case.
Superintendent of Police Mohammad Harun-Or-Rashid said they would continue their drives to arrest those accused in the cases in order to keep law and order under control in the district.
