Bangladesh police arrested 244 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its allied organisations following a surprise march in Dhaka. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner SM Nazrul Islam said at a press conference that 244 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its allied organisations were detained during the surprise march.
Nazrul Islam further said that earlier, in several operations, the DMP had arrested more than 500 Awami League leaders and workers from different areas of the capital.
According to a report in Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily ‘Pratham Alo’, the senior police officer said that these party leaders and workers were allegedly conspiring to worsen the law and order situation ahead of the elections next year.
These latest incidents come amid an ongoing crackdown under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which is targeting Awami League leaders and their supporters. Last week, several Awami League members from Dhaka Metropolitan South staged a flash rally in the Beribard area of the Hajipur police station in the capital. This rally was in support of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to local media reports, dozens of young people joined the procession, carrying banners and chanting slogans such as “Jai Bangla,” “Sheikh Hasina will come, the highway will shake,” and “Sheikh Hasina will come, Bangladesh will smile.”
Confirming the incident, Hazaribagh Police Station OC Saiful Islam said, “Our police acted immediately and arrested 11 people during the Awami League procession. We are investigating who were directly involved in the procession and who were caught nearby. After the investigation, legal action will be taken against those against whom evidence is found.”
Recently, the Awami League party has accused the Yusuf government of suppressing dissent and carrying out arbitrary arrests to eliminate political opposition in the country.
Analysts believe these incidents are a major act of political vendetta by the Yunus government, as several cases were filed against Hasina and her party members in some minor matters soon after she was ousted from office in August 2024.
