Detectives have arrested former minister Abdul Latif Siddique in connection with a crimes against humanity case stemming from the crackdown on a Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital's Motijheel on May 5, 2013.
Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Shafiqul Islam said a team of DB officials arrested Latif Siddique from his residence in the capital's Gulshan area around 6:30pm on Wednesday.
He said an arrest warrant had previously been issued against Abdul Latif Siddique in the case.
Hours before his arrest, former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique told reporters that he was prepared to surrender before the tribunal, provided police did not arrest him.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at a Dhaka court after attending a hearing in a separate case filed over the 'Moncho 71' platform launched last year.
Earlier, on July 27, the prosecution submitted formal charges against 41 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, over their alleged involvement in the crackdown at Shapla Chattar.
According to International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam, investigators identified 58 killings linked to the crackdown on the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka and four other districts on May 5-6, 2013.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com