December 18, 2023
DHAKA – Police yesterday arrested seven leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations, including a ward councillor of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC), in connection with a case filed over the derailment of a train in Gazipur.
All those who planned and implemented the sabotage are BNP leaders and activists, said Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Mahbub Alam in a press conference at the GMP media centre at 2:00pm.
The arrestees are Hasan Ajmal Bhuiya, 50; Sohel Rana, 38; Jannatul Islam, 23; Mehedi Hasan, 25; Zulkar Naim Ashrafi, 35; Shahanur Alam, 53; and Saidul Islam, 32.
According to a GMP press release, Hasan Ajmal Bhuiyan is the councillor of ward 28 under the GCC. He is the former president of Gazipur Metropolitan unit BNP, who was expelled from the party for participating in the last GCC election defying party decision.
Shahanur Alam is the president of the same ward’s BNP unit.
Sohel Rana is the former joint convenor of Gazipur Sadar Jubo Dal.
Zulkar Naim Ashrafi held key positions at Jubo Dal and the city unit of BNP while Saidul Islam was the former vice president of Gazipur Sadar Jubo Dal.
Jannatul Islam and Mehedi Hasan are BNP activists, reads the press release.
On December 13, a 20-foot stretch of rails was removed by saboteurs, leading to the derailment of the Mohanganj Express in Gazipur. One person was killed and several others were injured in the incident.
The Gazipur district administration officials, metropolitan and district police, PBI and railway police were present at the press conference.