DHAKA:

An 87-year-old former minister was among 16 people ordered by a Bangladesh court Friday to be detained in custody on charges of plotting against the government, police said.

The South Asian nation has been in turmoil since a mass uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina's autocratic government in 2024, with political parties vying for power ahead of elections scheduled for February.

The 16 were arrested Thursday after attending a meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), a journalists' association, where they accused political parties of conspiring to undermine the constitution.

Witnesses said a mob stormed the venue, heckled the participants, and later handed them over to police.

"They were arrested under the anti-terrorism act," said Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Dhaka's central po

See Full Page