Shahbagh blockade continues, Hasnat urges not to block highways
The blockade at Shahbagh continues on Saturday morning, as protesters demand a ban on the Awami League. The Shahbagh intersection has remained closed since Friday afternoon, except for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
The protesters who sustained injuries during the July mass uprising also joined the blockade programme.
Meanwhile, Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (southern region) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), urged protesters not to block highways in Dhaka or across the country.
In a post on his verified Facebook page around 4:00am on Saturday, he wrote, “Do not enforce blockade on highways in Dhaka or across the country, except for Shahbagh. Gather spontaneously in the districts and hold rallies. But no blockades… Withdraw if there is any.”
Protesters stayed at Shahbagh throughout the night and changed slogans in favour of their demands.
The protesters demonstrated all night in front of the chief adviser’s residence on Friday and set up a stage at the Minto road intersection at noon. Later, they, who are mostly activists from different political parties and organisations, including the NCP, took position at Shahbagh and blocked the adjacent roads in the afternoon on Friday.
They vowed to continue the blockade until the government bans the Awami League through a gazette notification.
A mass rally has been announced at Shahbagh at 3:00 pm on Saturday, while similar gatherings will be held at various spots across the country. Organisers said the second uprising will begin from Shahbagh.
At around 7:30 pm on Friday, NCP convener Nahid Islam posted three demands on Facebook. These are designating Awami League as a terrorist organisation and banning it, inclusion of a provision in the international crimes tribunal for trying Awami League as a party, and formulation of the July proclamation.
Other NCP leaders, including Sarjis Alam, and Hasnat Abdullah, also made the same demands through Facebook posts.
In a separate post, Nahid Islam said, “The Shahbagh sit-in will continue. Blockades have been enforced in various parts of Dhaka. If no decision is made soon, the entire country will march to Dhaka again.”