Dozens of top-ranking influential leaders of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, accused of arson attacks, vandalism and bomb blasts before the election of January 5 in 2014, are under strict intelligence surveillance, according to police.
BNP and its allies are taking preparations for a tough movement against the Awami League-led government while ruling party men are planning to prevent BNP activists from taking to the streets any time ahead of 11th parliamentary elections, which is only months away.
Around 1,200 BNP men have been detained since Eid-ul-Azha, said officials of the BNP's central office. They include presidents and general secretaries of ward, union, upazila and district level, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal.
The police HQs, however, does not have any information on how many BNP and Jamaat leaders and activists have been detained so far. It said the law enforcers have been conducting an anti-narcotic drive across the country.
Police said following the order of the government each police station across the country has prepared a list of names of Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal leaders at ward, union, upazila and district levels for taking action against them.
These leaders are capable of carrying out criminal activities and can deteriorate the law and order in the county, added the
sources. According to party policymakers, BNP has plans to launch a short-term demonstration before the national elections.
A number of police officers told the Daily Observer that they have been directed to keep a close eye on the BNP and Jamaat leaders and activists as both the parties are trying to organise themselves secretly.
People close to the government think the law enforcement agencies have been conducting special drives in different parts of the country assuming that the BNP is organising itself and may launch an anti-government demonstration any time.
According to Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal central office, the police arrested at least 700 leaders and activists of the JCD, student wing of BNP, in the past one week.
JCD's central office secretary Abdus Sattar Patwari said around 40 to 50 JCD leaders are being arrested on an average every day.
Amid fear of violent acts, law enforcers are preparing to take position on the streets in the capital and other parts of the country next week to tackle any such incident, sources at the police HQs said. Detective sources said like 2013 and 2014, BNP and Jamaat activists may go for violent movement in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
The Jamaat-Shibir men may go for fresh trouble blasting crude bombs and damaging vehicles. In such a situation, law enforcers intensified the ongoing crackdown against Jamaat-Shibir men, arresting many of its men from different parts of the country in the last couple of days.
Police HQ sources told this correspondent the law enforcers remain alert to prevent any possible violence in the country.
