Dhaka, Sept. 26 -- Police have said nearly 300 people were taken into custody after a raid on the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) headquarters in Dhaka's Gulistan.

After the operation on Saturday, Motijheel Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid said the number was around 280-300.

The raid began at 3pm, with people taken to Paltan Police Station in handcuffs in successive prison vans.

Police said they acted on information that activists of the Awami League, which is banned from political activities, had gathered at the office to carry out sabotage or other unlawful activities. Local students and the public assisted police.

Harun said authorities were verifying why they had gathered, what information they possessed and what activ...