Hundred of local BNP activists allegedly stormed a police station at Srinagar upazila in Munshiganj and snatched a detainee from police custody on Friday night.
The incident occurred around 10:15 PM and involved a detainee, Md. Tarikul Islam, a member of Srinagar Upazila Jubo Dal convening committee.
Tarikul was the prime accused in a case filed on September 19, 2024 Case No. 17(11)24). He had been apprehended earlier in the evening from Srinagar bazaar and brought to the police station.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the news of Tarikul's arrest spread quickly, prompting Srinagar Upazila BNP General Secretary Hafizul Islam Khan to arrive at the police station around 9 PM. Reportedly, he pressured Srinagar Police Station officer-in-charge Kaium Uddin Chowdhury, to release Tarikul. Subsequently, approximately 100 activists from the upazila BNP unit and its affiliate organizations allegedly stormed the station. They reportedly pushed past the police, entered the detention room and freed Tarikul before fleeing.
The OC confirmed the incident, stating, "The situation escalated despite police resistance. Any excessive force could have worsened the situation further."
When contacted, Srinagar Upazila BNP General Secretary Hafizul Islam denied the allegations, stating, "I was attending a dinner event in Dhaka's Gandaria this evening and was unreachable due to poor network coverage. I only learned of the incident after receiving multiple missed call alerts. Upon hearing the news, I instructed my party members to locate the individual and ensure his return to the police."
Attempts to reach Srinagar Upazila Jubo Dal Convener Zainal Abedin Mridha James for comments were unsuccessful.
