Bangladesh
Cocktail Blasts Use of cocktails increased during strike-blockade: 34 nabbed red-handed
Dhaka, Dec 7: Since the BNP's grand convention was held in Dhaka on October 28, the party has been conducting a series of hartals and blockades. While the use of cocktail explosions was low in the early days of the strike, it has increased over the past two weeks. Most of those who have been arrested are related to the cocktail explosion incident.
DMP's Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Dr. K. Mahid Uddin gave this information at a press conference organized at the media center of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Wednesday afternoon.
He said, "We have not allowed to execute a large part of the sabotage activities that are being attempted in the hartal-blockade that started from October 29. Still, some things happened."
He also said that cocktail consumption was low in the beginning of the strike-blockade. But it has increased over the past two weeks. Those arrested, in most cases, carried out the cocktail explosions.
The additional commissioner of DMP said that on November 30, four persons including the mastermind of the cocktail explosion incident at the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer's office were arrested. Two of them have political identities. Two others are also political party workers. However, it is not yet confirmed whether they have any position or not.
The arrested are Shafiqul, former joint convenor of Paltan police station volunteer team, Sumon Hossain Roni, former joint convener of Ward No. 13 BNP, Ashikur Rahman Panna, and Billal Hossain. They were arrested from Ghazaria of Munshiganj and the surrounding area of Dhaka on Tuesday (December 5).
Dr. K. Mahid Uddin said, on November 30, there was a cocktail explosion near the office of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and the Returning Officer of the Dhaka Metropolitan Area. That day was the last day for filing nomination papers for the 12th National Election. A little after 3 pm that day, 2-3 cocktails were detonated near the Returning Officer's office.
He further said that after that DMP officials visited the spot. In view of this we work to identify the correct person beyond doubt with the help of information technology by analyzing the CCTV camera footage of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) office. Following this, four people were arrested.
