Joynal Abedin Khan :
The law enforcers have launched massive crackdown targeting the BNP and Jamaat-supported councillor candidates ahead of Dhaka north, Dhaka south and Chittagong city corporation polls.
There are widespread allegations that police have also been harassing innocent people and realising money from them in the name of arrest.
In the latest incident, police arrested eight persons from a hostel in the capital’s Fakirerpool area and later freed them in exchange of bribe money.
Apart from this, police also taking money from the vehicle owners threatening them requisition of their cars.
Police are conducting the arrest business in the name tackling the law and order situation before the city corporation polls, sources alleged.
A large number of candidates backed by BNP-Jamaat alleged that they failed to campaign for polls due to harassment as well as arrest fear by the law enforcers.
DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia told media on Sunday said that
police have been conducting raids to arrest the candidates now facing cases in different police stations under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) but did not obtain bail from the courts.
They are conducting the drive as per a list of the accused supplied by the DMP police stations, he said.
Chittagong Police Commissioner (CMP) Abdul Jalil Mondal said police are arresting only the accused persons in different cases.
Police are ready to help the Election Commission to hold a free and fair election following the electoral code.
He refused the allegation of arrest business by police ahead of the city corporation polls. “If we receive allegation against any police personnel, then he or she will have to face the consequence,” he said.
