Dhaka police have arrested four leaders and activists of Awami League front organisations on charges of orchestrating arson attacks, coordinating sabotage, and mobilising unauthorised processions across the capital over the past month.

The arrests—made in separate operations in Hazaribagh, Dhanmondi and Kamrangirchar—follow what police described as “verified digital evidence,” including video clips, chat logs and mobile banking records, as well as confessional statements.

Those detained are: Md Shawkat Hossain Babu, general secretary of the Jubo League’s Ward-22 unit in Hazaribagh; former Dhaka University Chhatra League vice-president Milon Khan; Hazaribagh-based Jubo League activist Tahidul Islam Opu; and Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo League joint convenor Mohammed Sabbir Sheikh.

Investigators say the group coordinated a series of bus arson attacks and attempted street processions using Telegram and WhatsApp groups.

Police allege Babu returned from Malaysia on November 15 “with the intention of carrying out sabotage,” citing a Facebook post he reportedly made ahead of the trip.

A day later, he allegedly financed and instructed Opu to torch a bus in Hazaribagh’s Beribadh area. Officers say they recovered footage, chat histories and transaction screenshots from Babu’s devices.

Babu and Milon were arrested early Tuesday near Dhanmondi Road 28 while allegedly preparing to join a procession carrying banners of Sheikh Hasina.

Police say the event was organised on instructions from Dhaka Metropolitan Jubo League acting president Saurav Hossain Swapon, with joint convenor Sabbir Sheikh supervising operations. Local footpath vendors assisted officers in detaining the duo.

Both men were active in multiple mobile groups—such as “Asta’e Sheikh Hasina,” “Jubo League Dhaka South,” “Bangali Bangladesh Group,” and the Ward 22 Awami League forum—which investigators say were used to coordinate arson attempts, circulate images of crude explosives and share operational guidelines.

Police say Milon also served as a liaison, arranging accommodation in South Keraniganj for incoming Chhatra League and Jubo League members from Narail, Gopalganj and neighbouring districts.

These groups allegedly gathered at a tin-shed house behind Lion Tower before dispersing for processions or sabotage.

Opu was picked up from Dhanmondi 7A at around 2pm Tuesday. Investigators say he admitted to joining the unauthorised November 28 gathering under instructions from Sabbir Sheikh.

Police claim he received mobile banking transfers from Babu ahead of the November 16 bus arson and remained active in planning further attacks.

The final arrest came late Monday when a technical team tracked down Sabbir Sheikh at Kamrangirchar’s Company Ghat bridge.

Police say Sabbir fled the November 28 procession site but was later located through digital surveillance. Statements from earlier detainees portray Sabbir as the “central organiser,” responsible for mobilising youth and student activists nationwide, bringing them into Dhaka and deploying them for arson and crude bomb attacks.

All four suspects have “admitted to varying degrees of involvement” in arson during preliminary interrogation, including incidents in Hazaribagh, Mirpur Rupnagar and other areas, police said. Collected digital evidence is now undergoing forensic verification.

Officials say more arrests are expected as investigators continue tracing online communication networks tied to the recent wave of arson and explosions in Dhaka.

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