Flag hoisted at AL office in Khulna, ‘Joy Bangla’ slogans chanted

For the first time since the mass uprising, the presence of party activists has been seen at the long-abandoned Khulna town and district offices of the Bangladesh Awami League.

On Sunday afternoon, a group of leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, entered the party office located in the Shankha Market area on Lower Jashore Road in the town.

At that time, they hoisted the national flag, placed wreaths on portraits of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and chanted slogans of “Joy Bangla”. Videos of the incident have since circulated widely on social media.

One of those present, a former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League in Khulna city, spoke to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity.

He said, “We did not go to the party office as part of any organised programme. We saw that this had taken place at our central office, so we went to the Khulna office as well. We arrived at around 4:00 pm on Sunday. The office was locked; we broke the lock, went upstairs and hoisted the national flag. We placed garlands on the portraits of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina.”

He added that after chanting the “Joy Bangla” slogan, they came downstairs and put a new lock on the office so that they could enter it later. “No one stopped us,” he said.

Claiming that the visit was not directed by the party but initiated by grassroots activists, the leader said, “We are in contact among ourselves. We are united. We are ready for any programme in the future; we are only waiting for a call or leadership.”

He said around 25 to 30 people were present, all of them activists of the Awami League, Chhatra League and Awami Swechchhasebak League, and that no prominent leaders were there.

However, multiple Awami League sources said that the video footage shows the presence of TM Arif, vice-president of Sonadanga Thana unit Awami League, and Md Rubel, a leader of Sadar Thana Awami League. Those seen in the footage appeared visibly jubilant.

Speaking to Prothom Alo via WhatsApp, Saiful Islam, president of Khulna Sadar Thana Awami League, said, “For a long time there was an illegal government and mob rule prevailed. We have political rights. Now a political government has come to power. We believe an opportunity has been created to go to the party office, and that is why our leaders and activists went there today.”

He added that the party believes the elected government will allow it, as a major political force, to engage in politics again. “Overall, we hope to resume activities soon,” he said.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August 2024, Awami League offices in various parts of Khulna city and district were attacked and vandalised.

A day earlier, on 4 August, protesters carried out vandalism and arson at the city and district Awami League offices. Since then, no one had been seen entering the offices.

Following Sunday’s incident, later in the evening, the Awami League office was again vandalised, allegedly by former leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement.

They also set fire to wooden doors and documents inside the office.