Ctg North Awami League office reopened after 18 months
Leaders and activists of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League reopened the office on Monday and installed a new signboard.
The office of the Chattogram North District Awami League, located at New Market intersection in Chattogram city, has been reopened after remaining closed for 18 months.
Leaders and activists of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League reopened the office on Monday (16 February) and installed a new signboard.
According to eyewitnesses, several leaders and activists led by former Chhatra League North joint secretary Shawkat Ul Anam and former central Chhatra League leader Kazi Suruj went to the office on Monday afternoon.
At that time, they removed the signboard of the Chattogram Metropolitan unit of the National Citizen Party (NCP) that had been installed there earlier and replaced it with a signboard of the North District Awami League.
A video that spread on social media shows activists chanting "Joy Bangla" while placing a signboard reading "Chattogram North District Awami League" on the door.
Chhatra League leader Shawkat Ul Anam said, "We have unlocked the office and entered inside."
However, they did not find any of the previous furniture or equipment, including chairs, tables, microphones, IPS, cabinets, or documents.
The office was later locked again.
Earlier, on 21 October last year, a group of young people vandalised the office and locked it.
Jubairul Hasan Arif, the NCP-nominated MP candidate for Chattogram-8 constituency, wrote in a Facebook post that as soon as the BNP government began forming, Awami League members started reopening banned offices in various places.
He questioned whether the BNP would rehabilitate the Awami League under its own name or whether they be included in the BNP.
He also questioned whether the BNP would stand with students and the public in addressing the "Awami question," or side with the banned party.
Meanwhile, a day before the office was reopened, on Sunday, Chhatra League leaders and activists cleaned a mural of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Laldighi area in the city. The roadside mural was washed and made visible again.
Following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, the North District Awami League office was vandalised, and the mural at the Laldighi area was defaced with black paint.
After remaining closed for a long period, party leaders and activists have now taken steps to resume activities by reopening the office.
