700 arrested over Saturday's clashes, says home minister

At least 700 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes with police, violence and arson attacks during BNP's sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, reports UNB.
"There are CCTVs everywhere in the capital and we are taking support of those. If police fail to arrest the attackers, people catch them and bring them before police. We are not sparing anyone," he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat on Sunday.
"We have achieved Bangladesh's independence through the Liberation War. The people of this country will not tolerate violence here," he said.
Replying to a question about an allegation that three people torched a bus in front of police, the home boss said "Police caught the arson attackers red-handed."
"BNP got detached from people following the arson attacks carried out in 2014-2015 and if they (BNP) does it again they will again be detached from the people of the country," the minister added.
Referring to the remarks of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that Awami League released BNP leaders Gayeshwar Chandra and Aman after detention due to new US visa policy, the Awami League leader said, :the Prime Minister spoke clearly about the US Visa policy and we have nothing to say.
Meanwhile, at least 11 cases have been filed against 549 leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in connection with the clashes between party activists and police over its sit-in programme at Dhaka's key entry points.
Police arrested at least 149 BNP leaders and activists in these cases.
Among the accused, 469 are named and another 70-80 are undammed.
The cases were filed for clashes, vandalism and arson attacks during the sit-ins on Saturday, said Farooq Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Media and Public Relations Division.