Police arrest top opposition leaders of Bangladesh, ahead of rally to demand PM's resignation

The police on Friday arrested two main opposition leaders of Bangladesh, a day before the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had planned a rally to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with the former minister and member of the decision-making body of the party Mirza Abbas were arrested from their homes by the police at around 3 am on Friday, head of BNP's media wing Zahiruddin Swapan said.

"They were plainclothes policemen. Alamgir knew their identity. They told him he was being taken away on the order of the high command," said Swapan, adding that the party was unaware of their whereabouts.

Spokesman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Faruq Ahmed said that the police arrested the two leaders over suspicion of obstructing the work of the government and instigating violence during clashes that took place on Wednesday.

Tensions have escalated in the capital in the wake of BNP's planned rally on Saturday, which the party claimed would draw thousands of its supporters from across the country.

The police have stated that no demonstration would be allowed in front of the party office, which the former called a "crime scene" after Molotov cocktails were discovered by them at the location.

According to the local media, police have set up checkpoints on routes coming into the city to stop the activists of the opposition party, travelling from the rural heartlands, from joining the protest.

However, Alamgir, in a press conference, on Thursday had said that the party will go forward with the rally. BNP spokesperson Swapan said that "around 2,000" activists and supporters of the party have been arrested by the police to stop the rally.

In recent months, multiple protests have erupted across the country over fuel price hikes and power cuts, further demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina so that fresh elections can be held under a caretaker government,

The arrests took place on Friday, two days after tear gas and rubber bullets were fired by security forces in Dhaka over thousands of supporters of BNP who were preparing for the rally to be held on December 10, which left scores wounded and one dead.

Concerns have been expressed by the United Nations, along with the western governments, over Bangladesh's current political climate.