However, the drive created panic among small-earning innocent people and activists of Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance, as mostly they were the ones who were picked up. These people were allegedly harassed at the police stations and later at the lower court by brokers.

Even though the number of people picked up was more than 2,000 in last 48 hours, police placed 483 and 170 people before the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) on Monday and yesterday.

Most of those who were picked up allegedly managed to obtain their release by paying bribes at the police stations while the rest, who were sent to court, were seen bargaining with brokers on the CMM court premises in a bid to obtain release orders.

A number of 14-party men were also seen busy at the court trying to get release orders for their party-men.

HARASSMENTS
A police team on Monday picked up Sumon Mohammad, 15, who sells chicken on the streets of Moulavibazar in Lalbagh, in front of his house in Shahidnagar.

His mother Moina Begum had sent Sumon, the lone earner of the family, to get some bread and banana Monday night, as the family had no food at home.

"They [police] demanded Tk 1,000 for his release," Moina told The Daily Star, adding that it drove her crazy as she had no money.

She could only manage Tk 70 from a neighbour and offered the amount to the police team, which only angered them, she said.

Sumon received a beating at the police station and was sent to the court yesterday morning, Moina said. She managed to release her son yesterday afternoon by paying Tk 450 to a broker working at the CMM court.

Akkas Miah claimed that his crime was that he attended an AL rally on Sunday. Police of Bhashantek police outpost asked him to go to the police station on Sunday evening. As he went there, he was arrested and sent to the court the following day.

His wife Jotsna Begum became bewildered finding her 50-year-old husband arrested. She was running after brokers at the court yesterday begging them to get a release order for her husband.

The family of Mohammad Shamim, 20, a Jubo League worker of Lalbagh area, is lucky as his party-men are paying the lawyer's fees.

Her mother Jarina Begum said Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) men arrested Shamim, an employee of a scrap metal shop, in possession of a razor at Rahmatgaj of Bakshibazar in Lalbagh area.

Mohammad Liton, 23, owner of a small shop at Hazipara in Khilgaon, said police arrested him when he was talking to his customers around 8:30pm on Sunday night and placed him before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.

The police stations of the city were crammed with family members of the arrestees and the people picked up. The stations were very busy with brokers working and police bringing in and releasing the picked-up people.

A similar picture was seen on the court premises. Hundreds of brokers were found hunting down innocent and poor parents, wives and family members of arrestees. A large crowd was also seen in front of Dhaka Central Jail waiting either for the release of arrestees or to meet the arrestees.

Meanwhile, a DMP press release said out of the 170 arrests made yesterday 25 people were arrested following warrants of arrest, 83 in regular cases, six under section 54 and the rest 65 under DMP Ordinance.