Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested six leaders of the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations in separate raids across the capital. The arrests were made on Wednesday and Thursday in areas including Uttara, Lalbagh, and Sabujbagh.
Those arrested are Md. Shiblu (30), former joint convener of ward 24 of Lalbagh Thana Chhatra League in Dhaka Metropolitan South; Yamin Ahmed Anil alias Anir (32), organizational secretary of the same ward; Marsad Akter (58), president of the Kurigram district unit of the banned Mohila Jubo League; and several others from the Uttarkhan Thana area. However, the DMP did not immediately provide a complete list of those arrested or detailed information about the charges against them.
Earlier, in the early hours of Tuesday, detectives from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) arrested Liton Mahmud Babu alias Terenam Babu, joint convener of Dhaka Metropolitan North Swechchhasebak League, from the Mohammadpur area of the capital. A team from the DB's Tejgaon division detained him around 2:30 AM and later showed him arrested in a case filed with Mohammadpur Thana.
Regarding Liton Mahmud's arrest, Md. Shafiqul Islam, Additional Commissioner (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told Prothom Alo, "There were several allegations against Liton Mahmud. He has been arrested based on specific allegations." However, the DB official did not provide clear details about the allegations against the Swechchhasebak League leader.
Speaking with DB officials involved in the arrest operation, it was learned that Liton Mahmud faces allegations of extortion and involvement in activities centered around youth gangs. This information was confirmed by relevant DB sources.
Meanwhile, the government recently banned the activities of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations. In this context, law enforcement agencies have been conducting ongoing operations against leaders of the banned organizations in the capital. The DMP has not yet issued any formal statement regarding the specific charges against those arrested or whether they have been produced before the court.
Officials have stated that the matter is under investigation. It is anticipated that these law enforcement operations may continue in the coming days.
