Police arrested 27 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its associate bodies, whose activities have been banned, in a special drive across Narayanganj in the past 12 hours.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Tarek Al Mehedi confirmed the arrests to reporter around noon today, saying the operation covered all seven police station areas in the district.
"A total of 27 individuals linked to the Awami League and its front organisations were detained. To maintain law and order amid the party's announced lockdown programme, 26 checkpoints have been set up across major roads and highways," he said.
In the past 36 hours, police detained 29 others associated with the same groups and recovered several crude bombs, petrol, and other explosive materials during raids.
On Wednesday around 9:30pm, unidentified miscreants set fire to a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road. Police said no further untoward incidents were reported until noon.
Despite the lockdown call, life in Narayanganj city and its suburbs remained largely unaffected.
Shops and markets opened on time, while vehicular movement was normal. However, a sense of unease was noticeable among transport workers.
Traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways also remained normal, with police inspecting several long-route buses at checkpoints.
FP/MI
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