University units of JCD instructed to topple govt: DB

Dhaka Metropolitan Police yesterday claimed that the six arrested Chhatra Dal leaders collected firearms on instructions of central BNP leaders "to create instability in the country" ahead of the national election.

In a separate drive, detectives arrested 12 more BNP leaders and activists, including its Dhaka south city unit acting member secretary Tanveer Ahmed Robin, from the capital's Nayapaltan on Saturday night.

At a press conference at DMP media centre yesterday, DMP Joint Commissioner Khondkar Nurunnabi claimed that detectives arrested the six JCD leaders on Saturday from a Lalbagh house.

BNP earlier alleged that the six were picked up by plainclothes men on Friday.

They have been made accused in two cases filed with Lalbagh Police Station -- one for carrying illegal arms and another for acts of sabotage.

"Three firearms and 36 bullets were seized from the arrestees. They collected two of the weapons from Pabna and one from Teknaf," Nurunnabi said.

The firearms were made in Pakistan and Myanmar, according to the case statement.

The DB claimed they came to know from the arrestees that the BNP and Chhatra Dal high commands directed the Dhaka University Chhatra Dal unit and other university units "to topple the current government by inciting fear and panic among the public."

Nurunnabi made no comment and quickly left the stage when journalists asked him if police will conduct any drives to recover firearms brandished by ruling Awami League leaders and activists in recent street rallies.

At a press conference at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office yesterday, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said DB officials are making "false and motivated" claims.

"The Detective Branch said BNP is now collecting weapons to sabotage the election. This is the interesting part. That means they are now speaking entirely politically on behalf of a party," Fakhrul said.

Two of the six JCD leaders -- Mominul Islam Jisan, senior joint secretary of Dhaka University JCD unit, and Mohammad Arif Billah, former vice-president of a private university JCD unit -- were placed on a two-day police remand for questioning.

Jisan's brother Anamul Haque termed the police allegation "false and fabricated".

"He has a stronghold at Dhaka University and was involved in organising BNP programmes. Law enforcers targeted him to weaken their movement," he told The Daily Star.

The 12 other BNP leaders and activists who were detained on Saturday night were shown arrested in a case filed with Jatrabari Police Station.

Robin, son of former BNP MP and the party's Commerce Affairs Secretary Salahuddin Ahmed, was placed on a four-day remand. The rest were sent to jail.