Police in Bangladesh have detained 11 activists of the party, the Awami League, for participating in a rally in violation of a ban on political gatherings. The arrests were made by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in the Gulistan area of the capital, Dhaka.
The arrests were confirmed on Sunday evening (May 18) by Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Division of the DMP. He stated that the DB detained the 11 individuals while they were marching through Gulistan without prior permission.
The rally was reportedly organized to demand the release of Md. Shahe Alam Murad, an executive member of the Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League and former General Secretary of the Dhaka South unit. Murad was recently arrested in connection with an undisclosed case.
A short video clip of the rally was shared on the official Facebook page of the Awami League. The footage shows a group of people holding a banner reading “Dhaka South Awami League” as they marched forward, chanting political slogans. However, the exact time and location of the rally were not specified in the video.
Authorities have imposed restrictions on political gatherings in parts of Dhaka due to concerns over public safety and political unrest. Police have reiterated that such restrictions apply to all parties and that any violation will be dealt with according to the law.