Police arrested BNP central executive committee member Major (retd) Mizanur Rahman from his Gulshan residence early on Tuesday on charge of plotting sabotage during the Gazipur city corporation poll.
He was arrested around 3:30am on Tuesday from his house at Gulshan, confirmed BNP chairperson's media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.
Prior to his arrest, both plainclothes and uniformed police cordoned off the house from 1am.
Gulshan police Officer-in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique said: “He was not arrested by police. The Detective Branch officials had a drive, they may have arrested him.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch Deputy Commissioner (North) Moshiur Rahman said: “Several cases have been filed against Mizanur Rahman in different times.”
Mentioning that he was arrested for conspiring sabotage in GCC poll, Moshiur said: “A case will be filed against him under the ICT Act.”
The BNP leader was on Facebook live when Detective Branch officials went to Mizan's Gulshan house at midnight.
Police said there are several cases against Mizan. No comment from the family was available.
Meanwhile, two audio clips have been released by a YouTube channel named Conspiracy Leak, that appear to connect Mizan to a conspiracy to sabotage the Gazipur city polls.
Detective sources claimed that they have confirmed that Major Mizan is speaking in the audio clips. Police claimed that the other voice in the clips is that of Saiful Islam, a Juba Dal leader from Shimulia Union of Ashulia.
Audio 1
Saiful: Slamalaikum
Mizanur: Walaikum Salam. How are you?
Saiful: I am good.
Mizanur: Okay. How far is the Kashimpur union voting centre from your place?
Saiful: Ward number 1 is next to ours.
Mizanur: Yes, how far is the voting centre is from you?
Saiful: About 18km. There are three centres (polling) in ward number 1.
Mizanur: Okay. Do you have close friends there?
Saiful: Yes.
Mizanur: Okay, can you manage a boy, or two? Give me two boys who can go around wearing Awami League badges. Can you manage some boys like that?
Saiful: Yes, we can do that.
Mizanur: You do? If required, take people from Awami League who are BNP-minded. Do you have those?
Saiful: Yes.
Mizanur: Select three boys, okay? They will go around wearing the boat symbol. I will tell them. I will pay them money. I will give them equipment on the election day. You select them first. Three for three centres. Okay?
Saiful: Okay.
Mizanur: Okay. Listen. We need to have a house of our own people near one of the polling centres. Sitting at the window of there....two storied or three storied would be better.
Saiful: I will make it ready.
Mizanur: Yes yes, make that ready, and keep three boys, for another job. Those three boys will go around with Awami League badges.
Saiful: Okay, alright.
Mizanur: Okay, alright.
Audio 2
Saiful: Slamalaikum.
Mizanur: Walaikum Salam. Okay, what news? How far have you progressed?
Saiful: I have managed the people. The house is not ready yet.
Mizanur: Get a house. If you need to pay 2-4-5 thousand, pay it.
Saiful: I mean rent a house for them?
Mizanur: Beside the centre. You get it?
Saiful: Yes.
Mizanur: You have to bring these people. Be ready. How many people will you bring? One or two?
Saiful: I can give four people, for four centres. We can deploy 4-5 people in ward number 1.
Mizanur: Okay, as you say. Four for four centres. I need brave boys. They have to be brave. They should not tremble.
Saiful: That is not a problem.
Major Mizan: Yes. Drive them to Dhaka. I will train them. Understand?
Saiful: Yes.
Major Mizan: Or did you not?
Saiful: No, I understood.
Mizanur: You will bring them here in a car. I will pay them separately. There is no problem.
Saiful: Yes.
Mizanur: They will have to be taught. Once they are taught, they will have to train once or twice. Understand?
Saiful: Okay.
Mizanur: Keep four people ready. Feed them. I am preparing my stuff. You will bring them. I will tell you where to come. Gulshan, Uttara or any other place, understand?
Saiful: Yes.
Mizanur: Take their numbers, prepare them. I will pay their pocket money. They will be okay when trained once or twice.
Saiful: Okay
Mizanur: Okay.
