18 BNP leaders and activists arrested with bombs from hotel in Bagerhat

Local correspondent

Law enforcement agencies raided a residential hotel in Bagerhat city and arrested 18 BNP leaders and activists. Police recovered six handmade bombs during the operation. The arrests were made following tensions over dominance, extortion and illegal occupation disputes.

The raid was conducted by army personnel late Monday night at a hotel near Khan Jahan Ali (Rh.) Mazar in Sadar Upazila. The detainees were later handed over to police.

On Tuesday afternoon, Sub-Inspector Gautam Kumar Mondal of Sadar Model Police Station filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act. The arrestees were sent to jail through court proceedings in the evening.

Those arrested include former president of Bagerhat Municipal Workers’ Wing Md. Abul Kashem Selim Bhuiyan, his son Mostafa Kamal Sabir Bhuiyan, younger brother Md. Azim Bhuiyan and 15 other BNP-affiliated activists.

Sadar Model Police Station OC Mahmud-Ul-Hasan said the army arrested 18 individuals along with six bombs and informed police, who then took them into custody. The recovered bombs were deactivated by submerging them in water.

Police said Abul Kashem Selim Bhuiyan and his brother Azim Bhuiyan are accused in a March attack case on Jubo Dal leader Jasim Sardar.