Gayeshwar, Aman Detained by Police Following Clashes

Many BNP leaders and activists were held by the police as they walked to the streets to witness their sit-in program at the Dhaka entrance gates, including Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of the standing committee, and Amanullah Aman, the head of the Dhaka north city unit.

As BNP leaders and activists gathered at numerous entry points to the city, according to their five-hour sit-in schedule despite the heavy police presence, the potential of clashes and violence intensified.

Around 11 am, a few spots in Uttara and Gabtoli, as well as Shonir Akhra, Dholaikhal, Rayerbagh, Jatrabari, and Nayabazar saw the establishment of camps by opposition activists. However, law enforcement personnel stopped them everywhere.

Around 11:30 am, BNP leaders and activists got into a fight at the Dholaikhal crossroads.

Police fired tear gas shells at the opposition protestors at one point, and they responded by swinging bricks at them.

Later, police scattered BNP supporters and arrested Gayeshwar there.

Around 12 o'clock, as he and BNP activists attempted to hold a sit-in at the Gabtoli Bus Station, police apprehended Aman there.

Around 11 am, Aman and the opposition activists gathered in front of the Khalek Paribahan bus counter, with the members of the governing party standing nearby.

Police once requested that Aman and the BNP guys leave the area. 

A fight between the opposition demonstrators and the police started as Aman decreased.

Aman briefly collapsed in front of Nabil Paribahan on Mazar Road, but officers picked him up and placed him in a police van.

Five further BNP activists were also detained there.

By 12:30 p.m., police had removed BNP officials and activists from Uttra and Jatrabari, among other places. Additionally, they detained an unknown number of opposition workers and leaders from other regions.

In the meantime, several law enforcement officers have been stationed at the main entrances to Dhaka, where the BNP has been staging sit-ins, after the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said on Friday night that it would not permit the party to hold its program.

Earlier on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced, from their grand rally at Nayapaltan, that they will stage a five-hour sit-in program at all important entry points of the capital on Saturday to press home their one-point demand.

As per the party’s plan, Dhaka north city unit of BNP was supposed to stage sit-ins in front of Uttara BNS Centre and Gabtoli's SA Khalek Bus Station while the Dhaka south city unit was to be in front of Nayabazar BNP office and in front of Dania College on Chattogram Road at Jatrabari.

Later, Awami League and its youth wing, Jubo League, announced peace rallies at Abdullahpur, Tongi, Gabtoli, Aminbazar, Babuh Bazar, Signboard, Kanchpur, Jatrabari and other entry points of the city from 10 am to 5 pm.

Amid the growing fear of violence and confrontation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police said it will not allow BNP and Awami League to hold such programmes at the entry points of the capital considering the intelligence reports of deteriorating law and order and public suffering.