Shawkat Mahmud arrested in arson cases
Police yesterday arrested Shawkat Mahmud, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), in front of a meeting venue in the capitals Panthapath area.
Plainclothes policemen detained him while he was trying to enter the venue around 11:15am to attend a press conference of Adarsha Dhaka Andalan, a pro-BNP professionals body. Shawkat Mahmud is the member-secretary of the organisaiton.
After his arrest, the press conference was foiled, as organisers alleged that police locked the main entrance of the venue before the programme started.
Organisers further said they were scheduled to arrange the press conference to project various alleged irregularities, vote fraud, and manipulations committed during the Dhaka North City Corporation election held on April 28.
Mahmud was shown arrest in three cases filed with Jatrabari Police Station for arson attacks on vehicles, vandalising vehicles and crude bomb blasts in Jatrabari area, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Muntasirul Islam told reporters.
After being detained, Mahmud, also the BNP chairpersons adviser and a former president of National Press Club, was taken to the headquarters of the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Minto Road.
Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, the convenor of Adarsha Dhaka Andalan, termed the incident as totally opposite to what the prime minister and other ministers have been saying about democracy.
Zafrullah Chowdhury, founder of Ganashasthya Kendra, said denying an organisation to hold a programme cannot be a democratic attitude.
We dont want to condemn the incident but we can only offer to them to be become cautious about the rights of the citizens, he added.
Senior journalist and a leader of the organisaiton Mahfuz Ullah said they had informed, in writing, Kalabagan Police Station about the meeting though it was not necessary for any indoor meeting. He also showed reporters the copy of the letter sent to the police.
Officer-in-charge of Kalabagan Police Station Abidur Rahman, however, told reporters that they did not give permission to hold the programme as the authorities cancelled the programme.
Meanwhile, Comillas Burichang and Brahmanpara upazila units of the BNP called a daylong hartal in the upazilas protesting the arrest of Shawkat Mahmud.
In Dhaka, the BFUJ and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) also staged demonstration in front of National Press Club demanding Mahmuds unconditional release.
