Awami League leaders and activists staged a large march in Dhaka’s Gulshan district on Friday, chanting “Joy Bangla,” as police used rubber bullets to disperse what participants described as a peaceful demonstration.
The public show of political strength in one of the Bangladeshi capital’s most prominent areas has drawn widespread attention, coming despite a government ban on the party’s political activities and amid prolonged arrests, criminal cases, attacks and what the Awami League describes as systematic repression of its members.
Analysts say Awami League President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement that she plans to return to Bangladesh has particularly energized the party’s supporters.
Videos circulated on social media showed a large crowd marching together and repeatedly chanting “Joy Bangla,” a slogan historically associated with Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War and the Awami League.
Multiple videos posted online appeared to show more than 1,000 people taking part in the procession, although police put the number of participants at several hundred.
The Awami League’s Dhaka North unit confirmed on social media that the march was organized by the party.
Police fired rubber bullets to break up the procession. Videos shared on social media also showed officers pursuing demonstrators and firing rubber bullets as the crowd dispersed.
The confrontation occurred at about 11:45 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, near Bhola Mosque and Road No. 3 in the Gulshan-1 area.
Police Fire Rubber Bullets
Daud Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station, said Awami League leaders and activists attempted to bring out the procession from in front of Bhola Mosque at about 11:45 a.m.
Two crude bombs, locally known as cocktails, exploded as police moved to disperse the demonstrators. Hossain alleged that participants in the procession had detonated the devices.
Police then fired two rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, he said.
Videos circulated on social media showed a large number of demonstrators advancing through the area while chanting “Joy Bangla.” Police were later seen pursuing the crowd and firing rubber bullets to disperse the procession.
There was no independently verified information immediately available establishing who was directly responsible for the two explosions beyond the police account.
Two Arrested
Police said two people were arrested at the scene. Several reports identified them as Abdur Rahim and Arafat.
Police also claimed to have recovered five unexploded crude bombs from the area. The Gulshan police chief said preparations were underway to bring a case against the two arrested men under Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Act.
After the Awami League procession, the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, and its affiliated organizations staged counter-demonstrations in the same area Friday evening and night, chanting slogans against renewed political activities by the Awami League.
Marches Outside Dhaka
The Gulshan demonstration was not the only show of Awami League activity on Friday. Videos and livestreams circulated on social media purporting to show leaders and activists of the party and its affiliated organizations holding marches in different parts of Bangladesh.
Social media posts presented the demonstrations as signs that Awami League activists were attempting to reorganize and return openly to political activity.
Information about the marches outside Dhaka, however, was not carried by government-controlled media.
The demonstrations are being viewed by the party’s supporters as examples of continued political mobilization by Awami League activists despite the restrictions imposed on the organization.
A similar demonstration was held in Dhaka’s Mohakhali area on June 18, when several hundred Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists marched chanting “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu” and slogans calling for Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh. Women activists were also seen participating in that procession. Police detained several people following the demonstration.
A Major Gathering Despite the Ban
The political significance of Friday’s Gulshan march stems largely from its location, apparent size and the circumstances under which it took place.
Gulshan is one of Dhaka’s most prominent commercial and diplomatic districts, home to numerous foreign embassies and diplomatic missions. A public procession there by supporters of Bangladesh’s largest and longest-governing political party, despite a ban on its activities, quickly became a major subject of political discussion as videos spread online.
Awami League leaders and activists have faced widespread arrests, criminal cases and attacks since the party was ousted from power in 2024. Numerous incidents of attacks, looting and arson targeting the homes and businesses of party leaders and supporters have been reported across Bangladesh. There have also been arrests and attacks in different areas when party activists have attempted to gather or organize.
The interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus banned the Awami League’s political activities and subsequently organized the February election without the party’s participation. The election brought the government led by BNP leader Tarique Rahman to power. The new Parliament later passed legislation maintaining restrictions on the Awami League.
The Awami League says thousands of its leaders and activists remain imprisoned in cases it describes as politically motivated. Many party members have been detained for extended periods.
The deaths of numerous Awami League and affiliated-organization activists in custody have also raised questions over alleged mistreatment of prisoners, access to medical care, custodial safety and Bangladesh’s broader human rights situation.
Mob violence has remained a prominent concern in Bangladesh since the fall of the Awami League government in 2024. Homes, businesses and political offices belonging to Awami League leaders and supporters have been attacked, vandalized, looted or set on fire in different parts of the country.
Party activists allege that attempts to assemble have frequently been met with police operations as well as attacks by groups supportive of the government.
Political Reaction
Friday’s march quickly prompted reactions from other political groups.
Sarjis Alam, a leader of the National Citizen Party, publicly questioned how the Awami League had been able to stage a procession in Gulshan while its political activities remained prohibited.
BNP-affiliated organizations, meanwhile, held counterdemonstrations in the same area later in the evening, opposing the Awami League’s return to visible political activity.
The events in Gulshan therefore went beyond a confrontation over a single procession. Against a backdrop of political restrictions, widespread arrests and an adverse political environment, the demonstration is being viewed as a signal that Awami League leaders and activists are seeking to return openly to the streets.
COMMENTS