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100 Detained in Dhaka in Police Crackdown
 In a predawn swoop before the New Year revelry here, police raided dormitories of Dhaka University and detained at least 100 people yesterday. The identity of the detainees was not revealed, but police said they were not students and were staying at the university dormitories without permission. They were detained as a precautionary measure before the New Yearâs Eve celebrations, police said. A huge contingent of police raided 12 dormitories of the countryâs largest university and detained the group of mostly young people.Earlier, the security forces said yesterday it had arrested a commander of a militant group and seized a large cache of explosives in a hunt for those responsible for nationwide blasts. The Rapid Action Battalion said it arrested 27-year-old Ziaur Rahman, also known as Sagar, in the southwestern town of Khulna and seized explosives in a raid on a student dormitory late Friday. The announcement came as two women were injured yesterday in a bomb blast in the southern port city of Chittagong, police said, adding they could not say immediately whether the blast was linked to militants. âThe two women were injured when a small bomb exploded in a garbage bin near Chittagong Seaport. One is in critical condition,â said Masud Parvez of the Chittagong port police station. âWeâre investigating ... no one has been arrested,â he added. The elite force accused Sagar in a statement of being âthe divisional second in-command of Jamatul Mujahedeen.â Police have blamed the group for 434 synchronized blasts across Bangladesh Aug. 17 and subsequent suicide bombings in cities and towns that have claimed the lives of 28 people, including four suicide bombers and injured hundreds. The government heightened security in Dhaka and all other major cities ahead of New Yearâs Eve, with more than 8,000 security force personnel deployed in the capital alone. The increased security measures have come in the wake of a spurt in terrorist activities in the country in the past few months. âPolice force will remain alert in Dhaka, specially in the diplomatic area which covers Gulshan, Banani and Baridhaâ a deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said. âThe whole area will virtually be sealed off. No one will be allowed to enter in the area without any invitation for a specific party,â he said. A number of mobile teams, comprising law enforcers and doctors, will be posted at different city points from the evening to check suspects and unruly New Year revelers, and if anyone gets unruly on the street will be taken into custody, police officials said. Posted by: Fred 2006-01-01 |
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