Staff Reporter :
The law enforcing agencies have started crackdown the illegal firearms holders.
They have arrested around two hundred people, including listed terrorists and BNP-Jamaat men from the city and other parts of the country.
The move is targeted at ensuring a congenial atmosphere at the time of election as per the desire of the Election Commission (EC). Earlier, the EC had asked the Home Ministry to launch a countrywide drive ahead of the holding of the 11th Parliamentary election.
At an inter-ministerial meeting on election preparation at the Nirbachon Bhaban, the EC also called upon the Home Ministry’s Public Security Division to arrest criminals, drug addicts and those who might create anarchy ahead of the polls.
Talking to reporters after the inter-ministerial meeting, EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed on Wednesday said that the EC would announce the election schedule within a week.
But the law enforcing sources claimed that they conducted the arrest drive as per list of the fire arms terrors and accused in different cases.
Meanwhile, opposition parties and independent observers fear that the increasing crackdown on privacy and free expression is an attempt to limit speech and criticism of the government in the election period.
The government claims these efforts are to stem harmful rumors, false information, or objectionable content to maintain law and order.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that the law enforcers arrested the party leaders and activists in false and fabricated” cases.
Police arrested around 200 leaders and activists in last 24 hours, he said.
