24 more Hefazat activists held in Brahmanbaria

Twenty four more people have been arrested in the past 24 hours in connection with the clashes and vandalism by supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh in Brahmanbaria last month, police said Friday. 

They were arrested from different parts of the district from Thursday morning to Friday morning.

So far 261 people have been arrested in connection with the mayhem and 54 cases have been filed. 

The arrests were made from different parts of the district after identifying the accused from video footage and images taken during the violence, the district police said in a release. 

On 27 March, at least five people were killed and around 50 others, including 25 cops, injured in clashes between members of law enforcement agencies and locals during Hefazat's demonstrations at Nandanpur in Sadar upazila.

They had staged the protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh.

The next day, during Hefazat's countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal protesting police action on their anti-Modi processions in Dhaka, Chattogram, and other districts, activists set fire to three buildings, including the land office in Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila.

They had also attacked a Chattogram-bound train at Talshohor Rail Station in Brahmanbaria town.

Besides, the Hefazat supporters also vandalised several private and government establishments, including the Zila Parishad building, municipality building, Police Lines, Industrial School, land office, Alauddin Music Academy, and Foirtala Bus Stand in Sadar upazila.

The supporters had also attacked Brahmanbaria Press Club and confined some journalists to the premises.