Police have detained 19 ‘Awami League-backed’ union parishad members while holding a ‘clandestine meeting’ in a residential hotel 'Uni Resort' in Kalatali Hotel-Motel Zone of Cox's Bazar district town.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of police detained them around 12:00 am on Saturday, said officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station Foyzul Azim Noman.
He said, "The operation was conducted based on information that Awami League-backed UP members were holding a secret meeting at the Uni Resort. There are many UP members in the meeting. Those who have cases against them have been detained and those without cases have been released."
Zahir Ahmed, a member of Teknaf Sadar Union Parishad, said some 70 UP members of an association ‘Members Association’ gathered in the resort to discuss the country’s latest situation.
All on a sudden, police along with over 50 student coordinators of the district entered the hotel and started to harass them and at one stage police detained 19 UP members, he said.
Salim, a UP member of Maheshkhali, who was released from the police, said, 'Today was the discussion meeting of our member association. People from all political parties were also there."
"I strongly condemn the detainment," he added.
During the drive, tourists were seen leaving the resort fearing police harassment.
