Police arrested seven leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami from a building housing a private college at Gulshan in the capital yesterday while they were holding a “secret meeting on subversive activities against the government”.

The arrestees — Saleh Ahmed, Mostafizur Rahman, Abdul Mannan, Md Hedayetullah, Sagir Ahmed, Kobir Ahmed, and Md Kefayet Ullah -- claimed to be Jamaat leaders and activists in preliminary interrogation.

"Kefayet Ullah is the vice principal of the college and a leader of Badda thana unit Jamaat," said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rafiqul Islam of Gulshan Police Station.

"Three are leaders, Hedayet Ullah of Jamaat's Bhatara unit, Sagir Ahmed of Jamaat's Banashree unit and Abdul Mannan of Jamaat's Badda unit," he said.

Police claimed that Saleh Ahmed and Mostafizur Rahman were rokon (full-members) of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Police received information that the Jamaat men were holding the meeting in an auditorium of Islamic International School and College to discuss about their subversive activities and plans against the government and law enforcers, said the OC.

The OC said the arrestees were handed over to Detective Branch of Police in the afternoon for further interrogation and legal action would be taken against the arrestees after preliminary interrogation.

Jamaat and pro-Jamaat student organisation Islami Chhatra Shibir have been going on the rampage on the streets since last November to press home their demand for the immediate release of the party's top leaders, including those being tried on war crimes charges.

They have been launching guerilla-style attacks from processions and wounding hundreds of law enforcers, people and journalists and vandalising a similar number of vehicles.