Chief of the Detective Branch (DB), Muhammad Harun or Rashid, announced today that eight people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in last night’s fire that destroyed the Benapole Express train, killing four passengers. Among them are five Jubo Dal activists and Nabi Ullah Nabi, joint convener of the BNP in Dhaka city south unit.
Speaking at a press conference at the DMP Media Center, he claimed that Mansoor Alam, a planner and supply of labor, and Nabiullah, a financier and shelter provider from various parts of the city, had been jointly arrested by the DB Lalbagh and Wari Division.
Harun, also an additional commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said that the arrested people are- Dhaka South City BNP Joint Convenor Mohammad Nabi Ullah Nabi, Jubo Dal leader Kazi Mansoor Alam, Jubo Dal workers Md Iqbal Hossain Swapan, Md Russell, Delwar Hakim Biplab, Md Salauddin, Md Kabir and Md Hasan Ahmed.
They were taken into custody this morning by the DB police during various raids from various parts of the capital.
He said that the cops also took from them two sets of cell phones and Taka thirty thousand.
According to the additional commissioner, a virtual conference was attended by Jubo Dal leader Kazi Mansoor Alam, office secretary Shahjahan Chowdhury, joint convener M A Ghaffer, joint convener Iqbal Hossain Bablu, member secretary Rabiul Islam Nayan, and convener Khandkar Enam of Dhaka South City two days ago.
In the meeting, the leaders said that the ward and thana Jubo Dal leaders and activists will carry out the arson attacks on vehicles, temporary election camps at convenient times during day and night. They will also carry out explosion of cocktails around polling stations and vandalize properties and others.
The Jubo Dal leaders and activists will also distribute anti election leaflets to the people and force the voters from voting activities, the DB chief said.
In the virtual meeting, BNP leasers also mentioned that pictures and video of those arson attacks and vandalism will have to send upper tier.
“Efforts would be made to discourage people from coming to vote centers,” he added.
At the conference, it was also determined to draw attention from the national and international media. The activists were also given instructions to light passenger train compartments on fire from Mymensingh to Dhaka, with a particular focus on the up-and-down line from Kamalapur to Narayanganj and suitable locations in Narsingdi.
Harun added that 26 cases had been filed against BNP chairman Mohammad Nabi Ullah Nabi in several capital police stations, and that he had been arrested as the train fire’s ringleader and financier.
In addition, the DB and other law enforcement organizations have been working to apprehend the offenders.
