Three Senior Awami League Leaders from Ishwardi and Atgharia Arrested in Dhaka

PNN News Desk | Pabna

Police have arrested three senior Awami League leaders from Ishwardi and Atgharia upazilas of Pabna in the capital, Dhaka. They were arrested during a raid in the Iqbal Road area of Mohammadpur on Monday (October 19) night. Police said multiple cases had been filed against them.

The arrested individuals are Abul Kalam Azad Mintu, general secretary of Ishwardi Upazila Awami League and former mayor of Ishwardi Municipality; Shahidul Islam Ratan, president of Atgharia Upazila Awami League and former mayor of Atgharia Municipality; and Moklesur Rahman Mintu, former general secretary of Ishwardi Upazila Awami League and former upazila chairman.

Asaduzzaman Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ishwardi Police Station, confirmed the arrests on Tuesday (October 20) morning.

According to the OC, police conducted the raid on Monday night on the fifth floor of a building beside Priyanka Community Centre on Iqbal Road in Mohammadpur, where the three leaders were arrested.

Police sources said the leaders had travelled to Dhaka and gone into hiding after August 5, 2024, when the previous government fell. During this period, they allegedly maintained regular telephone contact with central Awami League leaders while staying in the capital and attempting to strengthen party activities in their respective local areas.

OC Asaduzzaman Rahman said various cases had been filed against the three arrested leaders.

According to police, Abul Kalam Azad Mintu had gone into hiding after securing bail in a case related to the anti-discrimination student movement. Meanwhile, Moklesur Rahman Mintu and Shahidul Islam Ratan had reportedly remained on the run since August 5, 2024.

Detailed information about the cases filed against the three leaders, as well as the next steps in the legal proceedings, was not immediately available.