WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (IslamOnline) - Bangladesh police arrested Maulana Mufti Amini, secretary-general of Islamist paty Islami Oikyo Jote, for questioning in the continuing unrest in the capital Dhaka in which a policeman is alleged to be have been killed by Islamist activists.
Maulana Amini has been arrested under Bangladesh's Public Safety Act, which allows for indefinite detention of anyone for months before formal charges are filed.
A police official said, "Amini will be interrogated as part of an investigation into Saturday's incidents."
The Jote had called for a general strike SAturday in Dhaka to demand the repeal of a High Court ban on fatwas that allegedly trampled a woman's rights.
The ban has been supported by mainly foreign funded non-governmental organizations (NGO). The NGO's held a rally on in support of the court's ruling.
A policeman was killed in a mosque in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area on Saturday. Fifiteen other security officials were also reported to have been assaulted.
Police said that they have arrested at least 60 students of a religious school for their involvement in the violence. Another 97 people have been arrested from Uttara, Pallabi, Postagola and Baitul Mukarram areas in the city during the strike on charges of picketing and exploding bombs.
Thousands of people, joined by riot police, raided several Islamic seminaries in Mohammadi Housing area and attacked over 100 students. Police claim that they have recovered a good number of "sharp weapons from the madrassahs [Islamic schools]".
The Public Safety Act, which was approved by the Parliament last year, is alleged by the opposition as a government tool to hound political rivals of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Jote belongs to a four-party opposition alliance led by former prime minister Begum Khalida Zia. Other alliance partners have so far given no comment on the court ruling or the policeman's death.
