Dhaka — Thirteen leaders and activists of the Awami League, including two former members of parliament, were arrested in Dhaka over the past 24 hours under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The party condemned the move as part of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s regime’s “fascist crackdown” on opposition politics.
The arrests signal an escalation of a campaign that has already swept tens of thousands behind bars, raising fundamental questions about law, rights, and Bangladesh’s political future.
Two ex-MPs in custody
Detective Branch officials confirmed the arrests to the state-run news agency BSS. Former Brahmanbaria-5 MP Faizur Rahman Badal was detained late Sunday night in Nikunja, while Tamanna Nusrat Bubli, a former MP from a reserved women’s seat, was arrested in Mohammadpur by DB’s Cyber Division.
Eleven others targeted
The other 11 arrestees include leaders of Awami League-affiliated bodies such as the Jubo League, Sramik League, Chhatra League, and the Bangabandhu Sainik League. Among them are Md. Manikurur Rahman, Md. Abdur Razzak Shakil, Md. Alam Matbar, Md. Saiful Islam, and former Chhatra League vice-president Mahbubul Haque Hirak.
AL: “Witch hunt in the name of counterterrorism”
Awami League Joint General Secretary A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim denounced the arrests as arbitrary and politically motivated.
“The illegal government of Yunus has released militants and criminals, unleashing mobs on ordinary citizens while arresting Awami League leaders, activists, artists, journalists, and intellectuals indiscriminately,” Nasim said.
He demanded the unconditional release of all detainees, calling the Anti-Terrorism Act “a blunt weapon to silence opposition.”
A year of mass detentions
The arrests come against the backdrop of a sweeping crackdown. Since August 2024, at least 44,472 Awami League members and supporters have been detained, according to Prothom Alo, a newspaper seen as sympathetic to the Yunus regime.
While the paper described the detainees as “fascist associates,” AL leaders argue that the real fascism lies with the interim government itself. “These are imaginary cases meant to erase the opposition,” Nasim said.
Bail rights under attack
Awami League leaders also allege systematic interference with the judiciary. A Home Ministry committee formed last month is reportedly tasked with reviewing why detainees are securing bail so frequently.
Nasim said this amounted to executive overreach.
“Bail is a citizen’s right. but Yunus’s illegal government is openly pressuring the judiciary, preventing it from working independently. Courts are being blocked, and imaginary cases are being filed against our people.”
Police data shows Dhaka Metropolitan Police alone filed 97 cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act against Awami League and its affiliates since October 2024, leading to more than 1,100 arrests. Nearly three-quarters of those detained nationwide have eventually been granted bail due to weak evidence.
“Operation Devil Hunt” and flash protests
Authorities have linked the crackdown to Operation Devil Hunt, a joint forces campaign launched earlier this year that has netted over 11,000 alleged Awami League “militants.”
Security forces have also targeted spontaneous “flash processions” by AL supporters. In one September sweep, 244 people were detained, with police alleging coordination via apps such as Telegram and Botim.
Human rights concerns and global reaction
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, warn that the expanded Anti-Terrorism Act is being weaponized against peaceful political activity. HRW has called for amendments to bring the law in line with international human rights standards.
The ban on Awami League activities, enforced since May, has drawn concern from the United States, India, and other international actors about Bangladesh’s democratic trajectory.
“The government wants to erase Awami League, but it cannot erase the people,” Nasim said. “This repression will only deepen our resolve to restore democracy.”
