'2,500 Jamaat, Shibir men arrested'

Gazipur, Nov 20 Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Tuesday said at least 2,500 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were arrested across the country until now on charges of attacking and clashing with the police.
He gave the figure to the media after visiting the Safipur Ansar VDP Academy in Gazipur's Kaliakoir.
"The state has initiated all sorts of measures to stop Jamaat and Shibir. At least 2,500 miscreants have been arrested," Alamgir said.
Jamaat and Shibir leaders and activists have been demonstrating, vandalising and attacking police personnel in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere since the beginning of this month demanding release of the party's top-brass put on trial on charges of committing war crimes in 1971.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed's convoy was also attacked by Shibir activists at Dhaka's Karwan Bazar last week. Shibir activists also reportedly set a police official on fire in Joypurhat.
Amid countrywide assault and vandalising, the police have been detaining numerous Jamaat and Shibir supporters. However, Jamaat says their men were arrested over 'false' cases while police obstructed their programmes.
Alamgir on Tuesday said cases had been lodged under Speedy Trial Act against at least 350 arrestees. "We hope those who are happy to create this kind of anarchy will stay away from doing so after these arrestees are tried."
He also claimed Jamaat and its student wing were linked with the attacks and vandalising on Buddhist households and temples in Cox's Bazar's Ramu in September.
The Home Minister also spoke about the Rohingya issue. "Rohingyas are not just Rohingyas, they must be called 'Myanmar's Rohingyas'."
He also thanked US President Barack Obama for his call on Monday on Myanmar to recognise the Rohingyas as citizens and give them social acceptance.
Alamgir also addressed the officials of Ansar at the Officers Mess at Safipur Ansar VDP Academy on Tuesday after his visit.
He observed that the Ansar members were playing an important role to maintain law and order and told the officials that the government was considering the issue of providing security allowance for them.
Ansar VDP Director General (DG) Brig Gen Jahidur Rahman, Additional DG Gen Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury, Gazipur district Deputy Commissioner Nurul Islam, Superintendent of Police Abdul Baten and Kaliakoir Upazila Executive Officer Habibur Rahman were also present, among others, during the Home Minister's visit.