Border Guard Bangladesh soldiers patrol Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka on Wednesday following their deployment ahead of national elections. — Ali Hossain Mintu

Crackdown on the opposition widened as about 400 opposition candidates, leaders and activists, mostly of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, were arrested Tuesday night and Wednesday while another BNP candidate was sent to jail in Kushtia on Wednesday, 10 days ahead of the December 30 general election.

Fifteen candidates of the main opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front were sent to jail in the past few days.

BNP organising secretary Emran Saleh Prince said that over 3,300 BNP leaders and activists were arrested in the past nine days of the electioneering.

Reports received from districts said that about least 400 opposition activists were arrested in districts Tuesday night and Wednesday.

BNP insiders said that a huge number of party leaders and activists could not go to their respective areas in fear of arrests and police harassment in fictitious cases.

Although the polling was nearing, many opposition candidates could not begin electioneering at places.

Condemning the arrests, harassment and attacks on electioneering, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged on Wednesday that ‘government-sponsored terrors’ were plunging the 11th parliamentary elections into darkness.

He said that police were actively working for ensuring win of the ruling Awami League in the elections.

Assistant inspector general of police for media at police headquarters Md Masud Rana said that the police, as part of their regular activities, were doing everything as per the law.

New Age correspondent in Kushtia reported that a Kushtia court on Wednesday sent BNP candidate for Kushtia 1 constituency Reza Ahmed Bachchu Mollah to jail in two cases filed 11 months ago under the Explosives Act.

Kushtia district and sessions judge Arup Kumar Goswami passed the order when Reza appeared before the court seeking bail.

Public prosecutor Anup Kumar Nandi said that Reza on interim bail for eight weeks granted by the High Court.

On the expiry of the bail, he surrendered to the court on Wednesday and the court ordered him to jail rejecting his bail prayer.

New Age correspondents reported that police arrested about 400 BNP and Jamaat activists in districts, including 74 in Satkhira, 40 in Jhenaidah, 36 in Mymensingh, 35 in Naogaon, 24 in Gaibandha, 24 in Dinajpur, 23 in Kurigram, 23 in Feni, 21 in Kishoreganj, 20 in Jamalpur, 21 in Meherpur, 14 in Barishal and 11 in Magura.

New Age correspondent in Barishal reported that Jatiya Oikya Front candidates for six constituencies in Barishal district alleged that they could not carry out electioneering and remained virtually confined to their homes due to lack of safety and security.

They also alleged that law enforcement agencies were randomly arresting, chasing and searching houses to arrest their leaders and activists.

Barishal superintendent of police Saiful Islam claimed that they were only arresting people named in specified criminal cases.

Barishal deputy commissioner and returning officer SM Ajior Rahman said they received allegations from the candidates and asked police for necessary actions.

Police arrested 14 BNP leaders and activists in areas of Barishal city and sadar upazila belonging to Barishal 5 constituency on Wednesday, said officers-in charge of Barishal Kotwali and Kawnia police stations.

The police officers said that the 14 were arrested as they were wanted in criminal cases.

New Age correspondent in Jashore reported that four cases were lodged with Bagharpara, Abhaynagar, Kotwali and Keshabpur police stations against BNP and Jamaat leaders and activists in the past two days while attacks on election campaign of BNP and arrest of their supporters continued.

BNP candidate for Jashore 3 Aninda Islam Amit said that he escaped a gun and bomb attack at Barobazar in Jashore town Tuesday evening.

The attackers damaged his two loudspeakers.

Opposition candidates and their campaigners continued to be attacked reportedly by AL activists.

The motorcade of Jatiya Oikya Front candidate for Habiganj 1 Reza Kibria came under attack while he was campaigning at Banderbazar under Nabiganj upazila on Wednesday, United News of Bangladesh reported.

Former Sylhet city Chhatra Dal assistant organising secretary Fakhrul Islam Panna sustained serious injuries in the attack.

Terming it a ‘planned’ attack, Reza, son of slain finance minister SAMS Kibria, demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the attackers.

New Age Correspondent in Bogura reported that Communist Party of Bangladesh candidate for Bogra 6 Aminul Farid staged a sit-in for two hours until 10:00pm at Satmatha in the district town where his roadside rally was attacked allegedly by Swechchhasebak League activists at about 7:00pm.

The CPB candidate said that he called off the sit-in at about 10:00pm as the Sadar police station officer-in-charge assured him of arrest of the attackers.

Bogra Sadar police station officer-in-charge SM Badiuzzaman said that they were investigating the incident.