Three Pabna Awami League leaders arrested in Mohammadpur raid, to be handed over to Ishwardi police

Police have arrested three Awami League leaders from Ishwardi and Atgharia upazilas of Pabna in Mohammadpur in the capital. They were arrested on Tuesday (October 20) in a raid on Iqbal Road in Mohammadpur.

Police said the raid was carried out on the fifth floor of a building beside the Priyanka Community Centre on Iqbal Road, and the three were detained from that building.

Mohammadpur Police Station's officer-in-charge (OC) Md Abdul Halim confirmed the arrests.

The arrestees are Moklesur Rahman Mintu, former general secretary of Ishwardi Upazila Awami League and former chairman of the upazila parishad; Alhaj Abul Kalam Azad Mintu, general secretary of Ishwardi Upazila Awami League and former mayor of the municipality; and Shahidul Islam Ratan, president of Atgharia Upazila Awami League and a former mayor.

Two of the three are leaders from Ishwardi and both carry the name 'Mintu' — one a former upazila chairman, the other a former municipal mayor. The third is the Atgharia upazila president and a former mayor.

Police sources said preliminary interrogation found that the three arrested leaders had been in regular mobile-phone contact with central Awami League leaders.

They were also active in strengthening party activities while staying in Dhaka, police sources said. The initial interrogation suggested they had been maintaining organisational contact from the capital.

After news of the arrests spread, discussion began in the political circles of Ishwardi and Atgharia. In the areas where they long served in party and public representative roles, the arrests are now the main talking point.

Reactions from Awami League leaders and activists at various levels have also been seen on social media over the matter.

OC Md Abdul Halim said, 'There are multiple cases against the arrestees. After the legal process, they will be handed over to Ishwardi Police Station.'

That means once the legal process at Mohammadpur Police Station is complete, the three will be sent to Ishwardi Police Station in Pabna, where proceedings in the cases against them will continue.