<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">At least 11 cases have been filed against 549 leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)&nbsp; in connection with the clashes between party activists and police over its sit-in programme at Dhaka’s key entry points.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police arrested at least 149 BNP leaders and activists in these cases.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the accused, 469 are named and another 70-80 are undammed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nine of the cases were filed by sub-inspectors of Uttara West, Uttara East, Bongshal, Airport, Kodomtoli, Jatrabari, and Sutrapur police stations and the rest two by two individuals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that the BNP organized an ‘illegal rally’ yesterday ignoring DMP's disapproval.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“They vandalized buses and blasted crude bombs, vandalized police cars, attacked police officers, and obstructed them from performing duties,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka was marred by clashes and violence on Saturday, leaving an unspecified number of people injured.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several vehicles were torched in different areas, including Matuail and Shyamoli, during the clashes between BNP activists and police.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police also beat up BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, leaving him injured. The law enforcers later picked him up from the spot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police also picked up BNP’s Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman from Gabtoli Bus Station around 12 pm as he along with BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later, they were released.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Clashes broke out between BNP leaders, activists and police when the opposition activists gathered at several entry points of Dhaka to observe their five-hour sit-in programme.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opposition leaders and activists locked in clashes with police at Dholaikhal, Uttara, Matuail, Rayerbag and Gabtoli when they took position there observing their scheduled programme. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>