Bangladesh police detained 244 leaders and activists of the Awami League after flash processions erupted in Dhaka, local media reported. The arrests happened in Uttara, Farmgate and Tejgaon. Many participants came from Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Gazipur and Gopalganj districts.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner SM Nazrul Islam said officers earlier detained over 500 party workers across the capital. Police claimed the activists tried to disrupt law and order ahead of next year’s national elections.
Last week, Awami League members staged a sudden rally in Beribadh under Hazaribagh police station. Supporters carried banners and shouted slogans backing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hazaribagh Police Station OC Saiful Islam said legal action will follow after investigations identify direct participants.
Awami League leaders accused the Yunus-led interim government of using arrests to silence political rivals. Analysts described the crackdown as a political vendetta. Several cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina and her party soon after her removal in August 2024.
