49 Awami League Activists Arrested in Natore and Narail

Staff Reporter

Police arrested 31 Awami League leaders and activists in Natore and 18 in Narail during separate operations tied to allegations of attacks on anti-government protesters.

In Natore, police conducted simultaneous raids across seven police station areas on Saturday night. Among those arrested were nine from Natore Sadar, nine from Baraigram, one from Naldanga, one from Bagatipara, four from Lalpur, four from Gurudaspur, and three from Singra. They were presented in court on Sunday and sent to prison in connection with cases linked to anti-government protests, according to police sources.

An anonymous senior Awami League leader expressed concerns over the arrests, stating that those detained were active in party politics but not known for criminal activities. He claimed the arrests were politically motivated under the pretext of maintaining law and order ahead of Victory Day celebrations. However, Natore Superintendent of Police Marufat Hossain said the arrests were based on specific allegations.

In Narail, 18 individuals, including Awami League and affiliate organization leaders, and a journalist, were sent to jail following a court order. Among them were district Awami League Organizing Secretary Debashish Kundu, UP Chairman Ashish Kumar Biswas, and local journalist Mirza Mahmud Hossain.

The arrests stemmed from an August 4 case involving allegations of gunfire, bomb explosions, and assaults on protesters near Sheikh Russel Bridge in Narail. BNP’s Narail Upazila Secretary Mujahidur Rahman filed the case on September 10, naming 90 individuals, including former MP Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, his father, and 400–500 unidentified individuals.

In a related case, Mithun Mostarim, a local Awami League leader in Dhaka’s Nawabganj, was arrested on Saturday. Police detained him during a visit to the police station for a land-related discussion and later showed him as an accused in a political case under the Explosives Act.