Despite the ongoing ban on political activities, Bangladesh Awami League leaders and activists staged a fresh rally in the capital on Friday, five days after their last appearance. Around 2 PM on September 5, under the banner of Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League, more than a thousand activists began marching from Tejgaon’s Nabisco area towards Tibet intersection.
Tejgaon Industrial Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Aslam Hossain said,“In the morning, some people tried to come out from JMI intersection, but we did not allow the rally. At that time, we detained a Chhatra League activist named Niamul Hasan from Tejgaon College. And at noon, Awami League people again came out from Nabisco, we are catching them.”
An eyewitness at Tibet intersection recounted,
“Suddenly, I saw thousands of people chanting slogans of ‘Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Hasina’ and ‘Joy Bangla’ while marching towards Tibet. Around 2 PM, Awami League held a rally with about two thousand people.”
According to witnesses, demonstrators shouted slogans including:
“Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Hasina”
“Sheikh Hasina will return, Bangladesh will smile”
“Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”
“Remove Yunus, save the country.”
One senior Awami League leader present said,“There’s no way to survive sitting at home, so what’s the point of staying inside? That’s why, following instructions, we came out with people. Today, many joined the North Awami League rally. This illegal government is not allowing anyone to live in peace. Across the country, they are harassing Awami League leaders and activists, including our leader Sheikh Hasina, with false cases. We protested through this rally.”
Meanwhile, reports surfaced of several hundred Awami League supporters staging another rally in Dhanmondi. Asked about this, Dhanmondi Police Station OC Kyashainyu Marma said,“Many people are sending me photos of rallies, but we are not yet certain. We are checking.”
Similar protests were seen earlier: on August 31, Awami League activists marched in Dhanmondi from Road No. 27 near Rapa Plaza to the road in front of Bangladesh Eye Hospital at Shankar. A week before that, several hundred activists gathered near the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Gulistan.
Following a mass uprising, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024. Three days later, on August 8, an interim government was formed.
Since then, ministers, state ministers, senior leaders, and influential MPs of the Awami League have been arrested one after another. Several leaders from allied parties have also been detained. Most senior Awami League figures remain in hiding, absent from regular political programs.
Nonetheless, sudden flash rallies by Awami League supporters continue to appear in Dhaka and across the country, often followed by arrests.
