Dhaka, Dec. 23 -- A former leader of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League has been arrested while collecting nomination papers to contest the upcoming parliamentary election as an independent candidate from the Gopalganj-3 constituency.

Kotalipara Police chief Riyad Mahamud confirmed the arrest of the former BCL leader Tapas Halder, 35, on Tuesday afternoon.

Tapas was involved in BCL politics while studying at Dhaka University.

Haridas Majumder accompanied Tapas, along with four to six others, to the Kotalipara Upazila administrator's office to collect nomination papers.

"We met BNP Kotalipara unit's general secretary Abul Bashar Howlader at the office. Police arrived to arrest Tapas after he left," said Haridas.

"Tapas has not been ...