"I paid Tk 80 to a policeman to meet my brother, Mannan," said Abul Bashar. Police arrested Mannan, a fruit trader, from Sadarghat on April 20.

Mass arrests in the last few days raised the number of prisoners in Dhaka Central Jail to such a level that one prisoner had to virtually lie on another, victims said.

"It seemed like hell," said 18-year-old Alam, who was released after two nights in a room with 375 others.

"I was fortunate that I was taken to a room when many had to spend their time in a toilet," Alam told The Daily Star at the jail gate.

He said many prisoners were suffering from diarrhoea and scabies.

The government began the mass arrests drive on April 18 ahead of the main opposition Awami League's April 30 deadline for unseating the government.

Alam, a day-labourer, came to Dhaka from his home village Daudkandi on Saturday to look for a job in Dhaka.

He was going to the house of a mason from his village who lives in Kamalapur, but fell victim to the drive.

Alam alleged that he had only Tk 20 with him after he paid the bus fare, but police took away the money.

Even his sandals went missing from the lock-up of Motijheel Police Station where he was kept for over 24 hours with food for once.

Alam now fears to stay in the capital and ponders returning to his village where his mother is yet to know his tale.

People with their close relatives missing since April 18 are looking for their dear ones in police stations with anxiety.

After desperate search at all relatives' houses, Rafiqul Islam of Char Chalimabad village in Sirajganj came to Dhaka only to know that Motijheel police arrested his son on April 22 from Kamalapur Railway Station.

Rafiqul's son Arif, 22, worked at a brick-kiln at Bhairab and was supposed to return home to meet his family. But he was caught and sent to jail.

"His mother has virtually gone mad in fear of his danger," said Rafiq.

"Although it is not good news that my son is in jail, it is a relief for me that I've found him," he said.

Our court correspondent adds: Although a release order was sent to the central jail three days back, a man arrested from Motijheel was not freed until yesterday.

Siddique, a garment worker and son of the late Abdul Maleq of Nandail in Mymensingh, was arrested in Motijheel on April 22 and taken to the chief metropolitan magistrate's court, Dhaka the next day.

He was sentenced with a fine of Tk 50 or a three-day imprisonment in default.

Hira Khan, brother of the victim, paid the fine and the court sent a release order to the central jail on April 24.

But he was yet to be released.