‘All 13 arrested over Dhaka cocktail blasts belong to Awami League’: DB chief
All 13 people arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) over a series of cocktail explosions across the capital belong to the Awami League and its affiliated political organisations, DB chief Md Shafiqul Islam has told Daily Waadaa.
The additional police commissioner said investigators had also uncovered accounts of payments through mobile banking services, including 37,000 taka allegedly received by 10 suspects in Mirpur.
The disclosures come amid reports of around 50 crude bomb explosions across Dhaka over two days, raising questions about the organisation, financing and coordination of the attacks.
"All those detained and arrested belong to the fascist political party," Shafiqul said when asked how many of the 13 suspects were associated with the Awami League, Chhatra League or Jubo League.
He said the arrests had been made over the preceding 24 hours.
The incidents have intensified security concerns in the capital amid renewed political tensions surrounding ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's announcement that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December.
Payments through mobile banking
Shafiqul said suspects arrested in separate incidents in Jatrabari and Mirpur had disclosed receiving money through mobile financial services.
"In some cases, yes. For example, a suspect arrested in Jatrabari said he had received money through bKash. In the Mirpur incident, 10 suspects said they had received 37,000 taka through mobile banking," he told Waadaa.
The statements suggest a possible financial network behind at least some of the explosions, although investigators have yet to publicly establish who sent the money or whether the payments were directly linked to the attacks.
Shafiqul did not clarify whether the 37,000 taka was paid collectively to the 10 suspects or how the money was distributed.
He also did not say whether the alleged transactions had been verified through banking records.
Asked about claims circulating on social media that funds were being transferred to Dhaka from India, Dubai, Malaysia and the United States to finance political violence, the DB chief stopped short of confirming any international connection.
He said financial investigations were routinely handled by specialised agencies, including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
"Agencies such as the CID and ACC regularly work on these matters. We investigate incidents and take appropriate action when cases are filed," he said.
How did 50 explosions take place?
The frequency of the cocktail blasts has also raised questions about whether police had advance intelligence and why preventive measures failed to stop the incidents.
Asked whether the explosions indicated an intelligence failure at the field level, Shafiqul said the Detective Branch was examining how so many incidents had occurred.
"First of all, we do not collect intelligence. Our responsibility is to investigate incidents. We are examining how so many incidents could have occurred," he said.
He did not elaborate on whether other DMP units had received warnings or whether intelligence had been shared before the explosions.
The DMP has repeatedly alleged that Awami League activists were involved in or instigated the attacks.
Asked whether the explosions indicated that the party was becoming active again in Dhaka, Shafiqul said: "Given the incidents that have taken place, it appears so."
The Awami League has been barred from political activities since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government following the July-August 2024 uprising.
Hasina, who has remained in India since August 5, 2024, has announced plans to return in December and face legal proceedings.
Her proposed return has prompted statements from political leaders, public campaigns by supporters and warnings from the government that those involved in violence or sabotage will face prosecution.
Police have also arrested two local leaders of the banned Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League in Naogaon's Manda upazila over a loudspeaker campaign announcing Hasina's return.
No indiscriminate arrests, says DB
Despite the scale of the explosions, Shafiqul said police would not resort to mass arrests based solely on political affiliation.
He was asked to compare the current response with the crackdown following the BNP's October 28, 2023, grand rally in Dhaka, when more than 7,000 people were arrested under the Awami League government.
"We arrest only those against whom there are specific allegations. We do not conduct indiscriminate mass arrests. We investigate the incidents and take action based on our findings," he told Waadaa.
The DB chief rejected suggestions that the relatively small number of arrests reflected a lack of action against those suspected of involvement in the explosions.
He said investigators were proceeding on the basis of individual cases and specific allegations.
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