Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 32 leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned, during raids in different parts of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka.
Mohammad Akter Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, confirmed the arrests on Monday, September 13.
He said police arrested 32 Awami League activists during overnight operations at various locations across the capital.
He also said the DMP had directly arrested 40 people over a rally organised by the banned organisation in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The arrests were made during police operations in different parts of the capital.
Earlier on Friday, several hundred Awami League supporters attempted to hold a procession in Gulshan. Two cocktails were reportedly exploded during the incident. Police later fired two rounds of rubber bullets to disperse the procession.
Videos circulated on social media appeared to show several thousand people taking part in the procession while chanting “Joy Bangla”, a slogan historically associated with the Awami League and Bangladesh’s independence movement. Police were seen firing rubber bullets as they moved to disperse the crowd.
With the arrest of 40 people on September 12 and another 32 on September 13, the DMP has arrested a total of 72 Awami League leaders and activists in connection with the recent operations.
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