Police have arrested eight activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami in connection with the sabotage of rail tracks in Khulna. Police said they were planning to bomb a power office in Khulna.They were arrested after the detective branch of police in Khulna raided a house of a local Jamaat leader Md Ibrahim in Burhiardanga village under Phultala Upazila early on Friday, Khulna SP Golam Rauf Khan told a press conference.
The BNP and Jamaat activists were holding a meeting in the house.
Police arrested eight activists while others managed to escape.
Police recovered six handmade bombs from them.
During the primary interrogation they revealed their plan of blowing up the power office in Fultala.
A case has been filed with Fultala Police Station.
The arrestees dismantled fishplate on a rail track near a railway station in Fultala during the Opposition-backed blockade on Dec 3.
Five coaches of the Nakshikantha train derailed due to the sabotage.
During the press conference, arrested Jamaat activist Shahjahan Sheikh said a group of 52 people were in charge of carrying out the sabotage on rail tracks and another group of 45 people were involved in blocking road with tree logs.
Another arrested Jamaat activist Fakir Mamun said he was behind bars for six years in a case filed over series of explosions carried out by Jamaatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh.
BNP and Jamaat activists carried out sabotage acts across the country during the back-to-back Opposition sponsored blockade.
The blockade campaigners indulged in violence by uprooting rail tracks, carrying out arson and exploding bombs.
Over 50 people have so far died in blockade related violence. – bdnews24.com
