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Detention of Bangladesh Nationwide Celebration chief comes forward of common elections set for early subsequent 12 months.
Bangladesh’s main opposition determine has been detained, as tensions mount between the nation’s governing celebration and opposition forces forward of common elections due in January.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP), was picked up by legislation enforcement on Sunday, a day after mass antigovernment protests rocked the capital, Dhaka.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman stated Alamgir had been detained for questioning over violence that broke out throughout Saturday’s protests, which killed one police officer and one protester, and injured many on each side.
“Police got here and seized all of the CCTV digicam units from our constructing,” Alamgir’s spouse Rahat Ara Begum was quoted as saying by The Day by day Star newspaper.
“They stated they’d orders to arrest my husband. I hope they return him quickly.”
Crackdown on opposition
Alamgir’s detention intensifies a crackdown on Bangladesh’s opposition within the lead-up to subsequent 12 months’s vote, which can resolve the nation’s subsequent premier.
Lots of of opposition activists have been arrested and the BNP’s longtime chief, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is beneath de facto home arrest.
Opposition figures have known as on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding chief, to resign, arguing she can’t be trusted to carry free and honest elections after being in workplace for greater than 15 years.
Underneath Hasina’s tenure, Bangladesh has achieved regular financial development, however has additionally seen a spike in inflation, making it troublesome for a lot of residents to make ends meet.
Her authorities has additionally been accused of corruption and rights abuses, together with focusing on the opposition with a brand new cybersecurity law. The previous few elections in Bangladesh, particularly the most recent in 2018, have been widely criticised for alleged irregularities.
“We don’t belief this authorities,” Alamgir stated in a latest interview with The Related Press information company.
“They need to go first to carry a free and honest election. In any other case, they’d rig the election.”
‘Vote chief’
Greater than 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Dhaka on Saturday, marking the biggest demonstrations this 12 months, in keeping with journalists with the AFP information company who have been current on the scene.
The protesters have been principally affiliated with Bangladesh’s two main opposition events – the BNP and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami. They chanted “Sheikh Hasina vote chief” exterior the BNP headquarters, in keeping with the AFP.
Inside hours, the protests descended into violent clashes, with opposition figures allegedly brawling and vandalising automobiles and police firing tear gasoline and rubber bullets to disperse the large crowds. Footage on the BNP’s verified Fb web page later confirmed hundreds working for canopy as sound grenades went off and black smoke billowed from the street.
BNP officers stated the opposition rally had been “peaceable” till the police intervened.
“Our rally was peaceable. However the authorities have used extreme drive to break our rally,” stated BNP spokesperson Zahir Uddin Swapan.
“They attacked our folks mercilessly.”
Earlier than his arrest, Alamgir known as for a daylong common strike on Sunday to denounce the violence.
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