Dhaka: The government is arresting Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders and activists as part of its continuous repressive measures against the opposition, says BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

In a statement on Saturday, he also said, ‘BNP leaders and activists are being arrested in false and fabricated cases in a bid to suppress the opposition,’ reports UNB.

The statement was issued protesting the arrest of party’s Chittagong division assistant organising secretary Harunur Rashid, Lakshmipur Juba Dal leader Akhter Hossain, Dhaka College Chhatra Dal president Kazi Masud Karim, Feni BNP leader Jakir Hossain, and Juba Dal vice-president Nur Nabi Chowdhury, Khagrachhari Juba Dal general secretary Saiful Islam, and some other activists of the party and its associate bodies.

Strongly condemning the government’s move, Fakhrul said, ‘Such arrest is nothing, but part of the government’s efforts to weaken BNP,’ he said.

He demanded the government immediately release the arrested party leaders and activists after withdrawing the ‘false’ cases filed against them.