Online Desk: BNP activists are facing wholesale arrest, repression and torture, and their houses are being vandalised in the name of search, the party chairperson’s adviser Mizanur Rahman Minu has alleged.

Addressing a press conference at the Rajshahi City BNP office at Malopara at about 11:30am on Saturday, he said the BNP leaders and workers are being arrested suing them in false and fabricated cases. The houses of BNP activists are being damaged and vandalised in the name of search. “We demand immediate release of the arrested leaders and workers,” he said.

Minu said some 1,272 leaders and workers of BNP have so far been arrested in 25 days in about 40 cases in Rajshahi district and city. Police torture the family members if the BNP leaders and workers are not found in their houses. They try to detain the family members. Even, the wife of a BNP leader was detained and taken away. “We strongly condemn heinous acts of police. Police must discharge his official duty abandoning the mysterious role,” he said.

The press conference was also attended by BNP’s Forest and Environment Affairs secretary Mosaddeq Hossain Bulbul, District BNP convener Biswanath Sarker, City BNP’s joint convener Nazrul Huda, and Rajshahi City BNP convener Ershad Ali Isha.