‘Activities banned’ Awami League holds flash processions in 3 places including Tejgaon, 8 arrested

Leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned, held flash processions in two places of Tejgaon industrial area and in Dhanmondi in Dhaka on Friday.

Police arrested eight people in connection with these incidents.

Tejgaon Industrial Area police station officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Aslam Hossain told Prothom Alo on Friday that leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities are banned, brought out surprise processions at the Nabisco intersection in the Tejgaon industrial area immediately after Jumma prayers around 1:45 pm.

During this time, they chanted various slogans in support of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. On receiving the news, police arrested seven people from the scene while others managed to escape. The arrestees were later taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for quizzing, he added.

Earlier, at around 11:00 am, Awami League leaders and activists brought out another brisk procession at the GMG intersection in the Tejgaon industrial area. Police arrested one person from there while others fled.

Meanwhile, at noon, Awami League leaders and activists held another sudden procession on Dhanmondi 4/A road. During this time, they raised slogans in support of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At one point, when police chased them from behind, the rally participants fled.

When asked, Shah Mostafa Tarikuzzaman, DMP's Senior Assistant Commissioner for Dhanmondi area, told Prothom Alo that several youths came out of a mosque at 3/A and held procession during Jumma prayers, supporting Awami League.

On receiving infromation, police officers deployed on the adjacent 3/A road rushed to the scene. Police tried to chase from behind to arrest the protestors, but they ran away, he added.