Police arrested at least 20 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student-wing Shibir for ‘sabotage plan’ from different places of the capital during a drive continuing for 24 hours till Thursday morning.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Masudur Rahman said 12 leaders and activists of BNP and eight of Jamaat and Shibir were arrested for planning subversive activities during the ongoing countrywide indefinite transport blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance. 

While its 72-hour nationwide hartal was scheduled to end at 6.00am Wednesday, the alliance on Tuesday extended it by 48 hours till 6.00am Friday. 

In a statement, BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the alliance, announced the extended shutdown programme.