3 detained at National Memorial for paying tribute on behalf of banned AL
Detainees say they did not hold any position in AL or its affiliated bodies and had come to the memorial out of personal regards for the party and Sheikh Hasina
Police detained three individuals in separate incidents, including a woman accompanied by her children, at the National Memorial in Savar today (26 March) after they attempted to pay tribute on behalf of the banned Awami League on the occasion of Independence Day.
The first incident occurred around 11:30am, when police detained Mosammat Tahmina Akter in front of the memorial's fountain area.
Speaking to journalists while in police custody, Tahmina said she was a resident of Cumilla and currently lived in the capital's Lalbagh area.
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She claimed she had previously worked at a government hospital but was not employed at present. She also said she had been involved in Awami League politics as a grassroots worker since 5 August.
According to her statement, she travelled by bus with her three children in the morning to pay tribute at the memorial on behalf of the Awami League and ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Police detained her after she chanted slogans including "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu".
Confirming the detention, Officer-in-Charge of Dhaka District (North) Detective Branch (DB) Saidul Islam told The Business Standard, "The woman had come on behalf of the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina. She also had a leaflet in the name of the Awami League and was chanting slogans. She has been taken into custody, and the process of taking legal action is underway."
He also said the children accompanying her were not detained.
In a separate incident, police detained two other individuals at the memorial later in the day.
The detainees were identified as Rakibul Islam Durjoy, 32 from Gauripur upazila in Mymensingh and Misti Subhash, 28 from Banchharampur in Brahmanbaria.
According to a press release by Dhaka District Police Superintendent Md Mizanur Rahman, all three were detained while attempting to place flowers at the main altar on behalf of the banned Awami League and Sheikh Hasina.
Police said all three detainees were in custody at Ashulia Police Station, and legal proceedings against them were underway.
However, the detainees said they did not hold any position in the Awami League or its affiliated bodies and had come to the memorial out of personal regards for the party and Sheikh Hasina.
