12 leaders-workers of Awami League detained on allegation of secret meeting in Barisal

Metropolitan Detective Police has detained 12 leaders-workers of the banned Awami League on the allegation of holding a secret meeting in Barisal city. Police claims that they sat in a secret meeting at a building to plan sabotage.

They were detained by conducting a drive at a building in a lane on the east side of Halima Khatun Girls Secondary School of Ward No 16 of the city at noon on Saturday.

The detained persons are Ilias Munshi of Defulia area of the city, Khalilur Rahman Sumon and Sanjib Kumar Das of Gorachand Das Road, Sifat of Arshed Contractor Goli, Mahadi Islam of College Avenue area, Yasin Arafat and Rafiqul Islam of Dargabari, Jihad, Naim of Tumchar, Shafiqul Islam, Siyam of Uzirpur and Rajib Chandra Das of Mehendiganj.

Deputy Commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Detective Police Palash Kanti Nath said a drive was conducted at that building on the basis of secret information. 12 persons have been detained from there.

Officer-in-charge of Barisal Kotwali police station Al Mamun Ul Islam said there are several office-bearing leaders of Awami League among the detained persons. In the interrogation they have informed that they were holding a meeting there as preparation for celebrating the birthday of Sheikh Hasina. However the idea of the police is that the meeting may be part of the planning of a major sabotage.

He said the conversations of the mobile phones of the detained persons and other information are being verified and scrutinised. After that legal measures will be taken against them.

Deputy Commissioner (South) of Barisal Metropolitan Police Sushanta Sarkar said police came to know on the basis of secret information that several members of the banned organization were planning sabotage at a building beside Halima Khatun Girls Secondary School. Later Metropolitan Detective Police and Kotwali police station jointly conducted a drive there and detained 12 persons.

Sushanta Sarkar said it is being primarily assumed that they were planning there for the purpose of sabotage itself. Subsequent legal measures will be taken against them after finishing the verification and scrutiny.