The crackdown on corrupt politicians and businessmen continued for the second day on Tuesday with the army-led joint forces arresting a number of leaders of the country’s two major parties — Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) and Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.
They were picked up in raids on their homes and business offices in capital Dhaka on Monday afternoon and in the early hours of Tuesday.
Former home and commerce minister, as well as former air force chef, Air Vice-Marshal (rtd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former state minister Fazlur Rahman Patal, both in the last BNP government, and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Rafiqul Islam who served the Awami League government (1996-2001) were arrested from their houses.
Sheikh Selim is a cousin of Sheikh Hasina.
Security forces found two firearms, 99 bullets and some relief materials from the houses of Altaf Chowdhury in southern Patuakhali. Abdul Awal Mintoo, a former president of the Bangladesh Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), was picked up from the city’s Banani area.
Joint forces also arrested the mayor of Sylhet Badruddin Ahmed Kamran and the mayor of Barisal Mujibur Rahman Sarwar.
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina reacted sharply to the arrest of party general secretary Abdul Jalil and others. “It is an attempt to hoodwink the nation. It is necessary for the government to understand that we are passing in an emergency regime. The government should stop playing games,” she said.