The Awami League, whose activities are now banned, held a protest march and a motorbike rally on the Dhaka–Shariatpur regional highway in Naria upazila of Shariatpur.
Police conducted a raid during the event, seizing three motorcycles and arresting three people. Later, a case was filed against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The event was held yesterday, Monday, in the Gagri jora area of Naria upazila. A 1-minute-29-second video of the event has circulated on social media.
Leaders and activists of the Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League, who are in hiding, shared the video on their Facebook accounts. The activities of the Chhatra League and the Jubo League are also now banned.
A video circulated on Facebook shows more than 100 people walking along the Dhaka–Shariatpur road carrying a banner that reads, “Mourning rally marking 15 August.” They were heard chanting slogans in the names of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Shariatpur-1 MP Iqbal Hossain.
Another video shows Awami League leaders and activists holding a motorbike rally with a large number of motorcycles in the Gagri jora area, on the slope of the Kotapara Bridge along the Dhaka–Shariatpur road.
The rally disrupted traffic on both sides of the road. As the location was close to Palong Model Police Station, police conducted a raid and arrested three people along with three motorcycles.
Police said the arrested men are Tushar Ahmed, 23, Al Amin Sardar, 26, and Riad Munshi, 49, all from Shariatpur Sadar upazila. They were handed over to Naria police last night. Later, on Tuesday morning, a sub-inspector (SI) of Naria police filed a case against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Naria police SI Jasim Uddin told Prothom Alo that some people affiliated with the Awami League held a procession and a motorbike rally on the Dhaka–Shariatpur road. Three people were arrested from the spot and a case was filed against them. Police are trying to identify and arrest others by examining videos of the programme.