Dhaka: BNP on Friday voiced deep concern over the rise in the arrest of its leaders and activists in ‘fictitious’ cases as around 4,650 were arrested over the last one month.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that the verdict in the August-21 case is being given before the national election with a ‘political motive’, reports the UNB.

‘The number of arrests in the fictitious cases is increasing gradually. Our 4,650 leaders and activists were arrested in such cases since September 1. Of them, 247 were placed on remand,’ the BNP leader said.

Besides, he said, their party’s 3.60 lakh people were made accused in 4,135 cases over the last one month.

Rizvi said their party’s many leaders and activists were arrested on Thursday at different parts of the country, including Bhola, Chattogram, Sunamganj, Noakhali, Thakurgaon, Munshiganj, Habiganj, Cumilla and Narsingdi.

He alleged that an uneasy calm has been prevailing across the country due to the filing of ‘fictitious’ cases and police raids on the houses of BNP leaders and activists.

About the verdict to be delivered on October 10 in the August-21 case, the BNP leader said, ‘The date for pronouncing the verdict in the case has been fixed before the election with a political motive to take an advantage of the current suffocating situation.’

Referring to some ministers’ assertions that BNP will fall in danger after the verdict of the August-21 case, Rizvi said it raises doubt in public mind whether the judgement is being written as per the government’s dictate.