Aklima and her boyfriend, Rubel [not his real name, too], were taking a stroll towards West Dhanmondi yesterday morning, merrily exchanging tête-à-têtes. "We were at Shukrabad bus stand when we heard some noise. Sensing some trouble or strife between police and political activists we were about to flee the place," Rubel narrated.

"But to our surprise, they [police] rushed towards us and hauled us up into the van paying no heed to our protests and assertions that we have nothing to do with any politics," he went on. The van took both of them to Dhanmondi Police Station.

Besides them, at least 16 others were arrested by police in the area at around 11:00am yesterday morning during the hartal enforced by the major opposition Awami League and taken to the police station.

Rubel said he and her girl friend would be in a number of troubles besides being socially stigmatised if any one comes to know about their being arrested by law enforcers. He implored, "Please don't publish our names or photographs in your paper, as only our mothers know about our affair."

"For the first time in my life, I came to a police station. You know, how I am feeling. I cannot say any thing more," Aklima broke into tears.

She was kept in a separate room along with Sabina Akter Tuhin, general secretary of Dhaka City North Unit of Jubo Mohila League, AL's young women's wing.

Others who were locked up in the police station repeated tales more or less similar to Aklima and Rubel. All of them claimed to have no connection with any political party.

One of them, Abdul Kabir, who works at Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, was taking his friend Delwar Hossain to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi to get medical help when police held them.

"It seems one can't even walk the streets during a hartal any more. They should have told us that the streets are off limit to commoners," Kabir said in visible anger. "They [police] didn't even let us contact our families. I wonder if they would let us go today."

Zafrul Hasan, a lawyer and member of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said arresting any one without a specific charge except under Section 54 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is a violation of human rights.

"Police can hold and take a person to police station for interrogation. But they can't put him in lock-up without any specific charges," Hasan confirmed.

However, when contacted, duty officer of Dahnmondi Police Station Sub Inspector Mamun said some people were indeed brought in from Russel Square, adding, "But they will be released if we find them innocent after interrogation."

On why they did not make sure of the identities of people before arresting them, a police high official said it was not possible during such chaotic and turbulent time.