More Leaders Arrested, Talks Ruled Out by PM Sheikh Hasina

“Bangladesh’s Leading Opposition Party Reports Arrest of Three Senior Leaders Amidst Political Unrest” Tensions escalate in Bangladesh as the leading opposition party announces the arrest of three more senior leaders, following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s declaration that she won’t engage in talks with those seeking her resignation. Criticized for her authoritative rule, Hasina’s government has faced international scrutiny, with the United States imposing sanctions on senior police officials over widespread human rights violations. Over the past year, the country has witnessed widespread protests against her administration, with demonstrators demanding a neutral caretaker government to oversee the upcoming January elections.

Tensions in Bangladesh rise as authorities continue to arrest hundreds of senior cadres and supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The overnight arrests include notable figures like former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP spokesman Zahir Uddin Swapan, and Aminul Huq, a former national football captain and Dhaka unit chief of the party. These detentions closely follow the recent arrest of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, one of the BNP’s high-ranking leaders, who was charged with the murder of a police officer during clashes between security forces and opposition activists.

Alamgir and Chowdhury have been instrumental in leading the BNP since the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in 2018, as her son and heir apparent resides in exile in London.

While authorities have yet to provide official comments on these recent arrests, they stated earlier that over 2,113 people had been arrested in the past week on charges related to violence during opposition protests.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a parliamentary address, reiterated her refusal to engage in dialogue with the BNP and made strong remarks about her political adversaries, referring to them as “beasts.” She also accused her rival Zia’s son of orchestrating her murder.

Violence erupted in Dhaka as more than 100,000 people gathered for protests against Hasina’s government, and demonstrations have persisted, with opposition activists attempting to block roads and railway lines. The clashes have resulted in casualties, with at least four protesters and one police officer losing their lives since the weekend.

While Hasina’s tenure has witnessed remarkable economic growth over 15 years, Western nations have expressed concerns about democratic erosion. Her government has faced allegations of detaining tens of thousands of opposition activists, involvement in hundreds of extrajudicial encounters, and the disappearance of numerous leaders and supporters, although these charges are denied by her administration.
In 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) police unit, targeting seven of its senior officers. These sanctions were a response to the alleged human rights abuses attributed to them.