Published : 07 Sep 2025, 10:45 PM
Updated : 28 Aug 2026, 01:26 AM
Activists of the banned Awami League, whose political activities remain banned, have staged another procession in Dhaka.
More than 1,000 party activists reportedly joined the protest march around 1:45pm on Sunday near the parliament building in Farmgate.
The procession started under the Bijoy Sarani Metro Rail Station, and moved along the road in front of parliament before ending at Khamarbari.
Asked about the Awami League procession, the chief of Tejgaon Police Station said: "Around 1:45pm, a group of Awami League leaders and activists marched from the Bijoy Sarani Metro Station towards Khamarbari. Immediately after receiving the information, the police arrested former Chhatra League leader Sirajul Islam, a resident of Madaripur’s Shibchar, as he was carrying a banner."
Ahmed Faisal, a Dhaka University student standing at the Bijoy Sarani Metro Station and saw the incident, said: “Around 1:45pm, a thousand people started a procession from the metro rail junction and started heading towards Khamarbari. They chanted slogans mentioning Sheikh Hasina, shouted Joy Bangla, and said that Sheikh Hasina would return and the streets would tremble as they marched to Khamarbari.”
An Awami League leader from Madaripur District who took part in the procession told bdnews24.com, “You saw only party leaders and activists here, but alongside the leaders and activists of various organisations, including the Awami League and Chhatra League, people from different classes and professions also took to the street. The procession will grow day by day. No one is doing well under this illegal government. Wait and see. People from all over the country will take to the streets in a few days."
On Friday, the Dhaka Metropolitan North unit of the Awami League held a procession of several thousand leaders and activists in the Tejgaon Nabisco area.
Before that, on Aug 31, Awami League activists were seen marching along Dhanmondi Road No. 27 near Rapa Plaza to the Bangladesh Eye Hospital in Shankar.
A week before that, several hundred Awami League leaders and activists protested at the South Gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Gulistan.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina left the country on Aug 5, 2024, in the face of a mass movement that ousted her from her premiership. Three days later, on Aug 8, an interim government was formed.
Since then, top-level leaders and influential members of parliament, including ministers and state ministers of the Awami League, were arrested one by one. Some leaders of other parties in alliance with the Awami League were also arrested.
Most of the senior leaders of the Awami League are in hiding. As a result, they are not attending regular political programmes.
The interim government has taken the initiative to try Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders on charges of crimes against humanity for their attempts to suppress the July Uprising. All of the party’s activities have been banned until the trial is completed.
Despite this, there are occasional reports of Awami League activists holding processions in various parts of the country, including Dhaka. Some of them are later arrested.
