Despite a government ban on its activities, Bangladesh Awami League leaders and activists once again held a rally in Dhaka, just a day after their previous gathering.
According to sources, the protest march was organized by former Chief Whip of the National Parliament,Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, former MP and leader of the Madaripur-1 constituency and Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (Nixon Chowdhury), former MP and leader of the Faridpur-4 constituency.
Police confirmed that one person was detained during the rally near the parliament building around 1:45pm on Sunday.
The procession began under the Bijoy Sarani metro rail station, proceeded along the road beside the parliament building, and ended at Khamarbari.
Tejgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mobarak Hossain said, “Around 1:45pm, a group of Awami League activists started a march from beside the Bijoy Sarani metro rail station towards Khamarbari. Police immediately responded and detained Sirajul Islam, a former Chhatra League leader from Shibchar, Madaripur, along with the banner.”
Eyewitness Ahmed Faisal, a Dhaka University student who was standing at the Bijoy Sarani metro station, reported,“About a thousand people started marching from the metro rail intersection towards Khamarbari. They were chanting slogans like ‘Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Hasina,’ ‘Joy Bangla,’ and ‘When Sheikh Hasina comes, the streets will shake’ as they moved forward.”
A local Awami League leader from Madaripur district, who joined the rally, said, “Here you could see only party activists—leaders and workers of Awami League, Chhatra League, and affiliated organizations, along with people from various walks of life. Day by day the rallies will grow bigger. Under this illegal government, nobody is doing well. Just wait—a few days from now, people all over the country will take to the streets.”
Earlier, on Friday after Juma prayers, Awami League leaders and activists held a rally in Tejgaon’s Nabisco area with banners of “Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League.”
On August 31, they were seen marching from Rafa Plaza on Dhanmondi’s Road 27 to the road in front of Bangladesh Eye Hospital in Shankar. About a week before that, several hundred Awami League activists staged a protest at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Gulistan.
After losing power during the student–people’s movement, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina went to India on August 5, 2024. Three days later, on August 8, an interim government was formed.
Subsequently, Awami League ministers, state ministers, senior leaders, and influential MPs began to be arrested one after another. Several allied party leaders were also detained.
Most senior Awami League leaders remain in hiding, leaving the party absent from regular political programs.
Nevertheless, sudden flash rallies by Awami League workers continue to appear in Dhaka and across the country, often followed by police action and arrests.
