Demand to ban AL: Shahbagh blockade to continue, mass rally Saturday at 3pm, says Hasnat
Various political parties, student and cultural orgs, including the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Hefazat-e-Islam, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Islami Oikya Jote, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party, UP Bangladesh, July Oikya, SAD, July Mancha, Inqilab Mancha, Bangladesh Democratic Students Council (BDSC), and others have joined the protests announced by the National Citizen Party
Key Highlights
- NCP says Shahbagh blockade to continue till AL banned
- Supporters of Jamaat, SAD, Hefazat, NCP and other orgs joined the blockade
- NCP's Sarjis Alam called for BNP to join
- NCP also demands declaration of July Proclamation and provision for AL's trial
- Protests across districts, including Chattogram, Narayanganj, Kushtia, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Lakshmipur
- Govt says it is seriously considering banning AL
- Multiple advisers expressed solidarity with AL ban demand
- Hefazat asks activists to stay on street until demand is met
The movement demanding a ban on the Awami League has spread across multiple districts, including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Kushtia, Lakshmipur and Rangpur. In Dhaka various major points, including Shahbagh and Paltan intersections, have been blocked by the protesters.
The protests, called by the National Citizen Party (NCP), have drawn supporters from various major Islamist-leftist parties and student organisations, including the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Hefazat-e-Islam, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Islami Oikya Jote, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party, UP Bangladesh, July Oikya, Students Against Discrimination (SAD), July Mancha, Inqilab Mancha, Bangladesh Democratic Students Council (BDSC), and others.
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NCP, Inqilab Manch, BDSC and other student organisations have called on the BNP to also join the protest. However, the nationalist party has earlier reiterated its position on the matter, saying the ban on the Awami League is not a decision for them to take but for the government and the Election Commission.
Amid the growing pressure, the government, in an official statement, said it will soon decide on the matter after discussing with political parties. Several advisers of the government have also expressed solidarity with the protesters' demand.
Follow our live coverage of the situation here:
11:30pm
Mass rally at 3pm tomorrow
Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of NCP, has announced a mass rally at Shahbagh tomorrow (Saturday, 10 May) at 3pm.
"We will not leave the streets until the three demands are implemented. The sit-in programme will continue," he said at a press briefing at Shahbagh.
Hasnat also called for similar gatherings tomorrow at all locations across Bangladesh where the July movement had taken place.
11:20pm
Dhaka-Aricha highway blockade lifted
Protesters has lifted blockade at the Pakija intersection on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar.
They announced that they will again block the intersection tomorrow at 3pm, demanding AL ban.
11:10pm
Protesters block Dhaka-Ctg highway demanding AL ban
Leaders and activists from several organisations, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), blocked the Dhaka-bound lane of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway at the Signboard area in Narayanganj, demanding a ban on the Awami League.
The blockade began around 9:30pm and continued till 11pm, causing severe traffic congestion stretching several kilometres, our correspondent reported from the spot.
10:50pm
JU students hold protest march in front of university gate
Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) held a protest march in front of the university gate, demanding AL ban.
The protest began at 10:10pm with a procession from the university's Bot Tola, and then the march came in front of the university gate for a protest rally. The rally ended at 10:40pm.
10:25pm
Shahbagh blockade begins to thin out
As midnight approaches, the number of protesters in Shahbagh is decreasing.
In this regard, one of the protesters, Shahidul Islam Shahed, convener of Barisal Metropolitan SAD, said, "The presence of protesters in Shahbagh has decreased slightly. But we will continue the movement with those who remains."
He also said, "One of the reasons for the decrease in the number of protesters is that some people have gone to rest. They will rest for a while and join the movement again. We will stay in Shahbagh at night too. For us, night and day are equal now. We will not return home until our demands are met."
10:20pm
Army arrives at the Pakija intersection on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar where protesters have blocked the highway.
9:30pm
Dhaka-Aricha Highway blocked
Local leaders, activists and supporters of the NCP, SAD and others are protesting by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Savar, Dhaka, demanding a ban on the Awami League.
At around 9:30pm, protesters began their demonstration at the Pakija intersection on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar, which was named Shaheed Yameen Chattar by students and the public after 5 August, by first blocking the Aricha-bound lane of the highway and later the Dhaka-bound lane, our correspondent reports.
Asadul Islam Mukul, a member of the central committee of NCP, who was present at the protest, told The Business Standard, "On 5 August, the people of Bangladesh decided that no other political party like Awami League will be able to do politics in this country in Bangladesh. But we can see that even after 10 months, those who are currently in government are not taking any decision regarding the Awami League. Due to this, we have been attacked or attacked in various ways in about 34 to 35 places in Bangladesh.
"Awami League men, despite having so many cases against them, are not being arrested; they are roaming around openly. From that point, we want to say how the current government will ban the Awami League, whether through a direct announcement or through the High Court, it is their business. But until this decision is made, this highway will remain closed. In solidarity with our blockade programme in Shahbagh, we, the people of Savar and Ashulia, have blocked the roads here, and until the Awami League is banned, we will remain here."
8:55pm
"Entire Bangladesh will march to Dhaka again, if no decision soon': Nahid
NCP Convener Nahid Islam, in a Facebook post at around 8:00pm, warned that all of Bangladesh will march towards Dhaka if the government does not announce a decision on banning the Awami League.
"The sit-in at Shahbagh will continue. It is expected that all the forces of July will be united on the issue of the Awami League and the sovereignty of the country, regardless of party affiliation. Blockades have been enforced in various places in Dhaka city. If a decision is not made soon, the entire Bangladesh will march in Dhaka city again.
"All pro-Bangladesh forces unite to ban the anti-sovereignty, anti-independence, anti-July, anti-democracy, anti-Islam, anti-women, anti-humanity fascist terrorist Mujibist organisation Awami League," he added.
8:00pm
AB Party urges govt to hold all-party convention on AL ban issue
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju has called on the government to hold a convention with all political parties of the country to decide on the issue of banning AL.
"The Awami League is accused of all kinds of crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances, murders, genocide and unlimited looting. They have killed the election system and democracy. They have destroyed the constitution, judiciary and administration and taken away the freedom of speech of the people. Political, social, cultural, legal and constitutional measures must be taken against this terrorist party; therefore, the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) is urging to call an all-party convention and demanding that steps be taken to ban the anti-humanity party Awami League," he said.
7:30pm
NCP announces three demands
As the NCP-led movement for banning AL grows momentum, spreading across and beyond Dhaka, the party's chief Nahid Islam has announced a three-point demand for the government to fulfil.
In a Facebook post made at 7:22pm, the NCP convener wrote, "1. Awami League needs to be banned by designating it a terrorist organisation; 2. Provisions need to be added to the International Crimes Tribunal Act for the Awami League's trial as a party; 3. July Proclamation needs to be declared."
7:00pm
A huge group of Islami Oikya Jote members joined the protest after Maghrib prayers.
6:30pm
Sarjis urges BNP to join protest
Almost all major political parties and organisations, except the BNP, expressed solidarity with the demand to ban AL.
Amid the situation, the NCP's Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam has called on the nationalist party to join the movement.
"All political parties except BNP and its affiliates are now in Shahbagh. If BNP joins, it will re-establish the unity of July. A united Shahbagh awaits BNP. Today's Shahbagh is part of history and the benchmark for future politics," he wrote in a Facebook post at 6:22pm.
6:20pm
Shahbagh blockade grows as people join from other districts
Leaders and activists of various parties are joining protesters at Shahbagh from different areas in and around Dhaka to Shahbagh. As a result, the number of protesters in Shahbagh is increasing.
Md Shamim, secretary of Jamaat's Mouchak Union unit in Kaliakair of Gazipur, said, "I have come from Gazipur to join today's Awami League ban movement. We want Awami League politics to be completely stopped in this country. They have no place in this country. They have killed innocent people. They have not allowed innocent people to live in peace at home. They have no right to do politics in this country. They must be banned. We will not leave the streets until they are done."
Sujan Mia from Tangail said, "We are July fighters. After a long, bloody struggle, we got freedom. They killed over 2,000 of our brothers. Countless people were injured, and many of them are still in the hospital. It has been nine months, and this murderous group has not been banned yet. This is unacceptable."
The protesters offered their Maghrib prayers on the road.
5:30pm
Protests and road blockades in Lakshmipur
Students and the public have protested in Lakshmipur in solidarity with the ongoing NCP-led protest.
The protest procession started from Lakshmipur Uttar Temuhani and ended at Jhumur Chattar in the afternoon.
During this time, the marchers chanted various slogans. They blocked the road there and observed a sit-in programme. The protesters raised slogans such as 'Awami League has no place in my golden Bengal', 'Take one league, take it to jail, rush it', 'Power or people, people or people', 'Slavery or highway, highway highway', etc.
5:00pm
Gono Odhikar blocks Paltan Intersection
Supporters of Gono Odhikar Parishad have blocked the Paltan intersection in the capital demanding a ban on AL.
At this time, various slogans were seen being chanted, including "Ban ban, Awami League ban", "We want Sheikh Hasina to be hanged", and "Sheikh Hasina's address will not be in this Bengal".
4:50pm
SAD stages demonstration in Chattogram
SAD staged a demonstration in the Gate-2 area of Chattogram on Friday evening, demanding a ban on the ruling Awami League, in solidarity with the ongoing protest programme of the NCP at Dhaka's Shahbag. The protest drew a few dozen participants who chanted slogans demanding a ban on the Awami League. The demonstrators temporarily blocked a major intersection in the city, disrupting traffic.
The protesters claimed that the interim government has long failed to meet their demands. They announced that they would not return home until the government bans the Awami League.
Police were present at the scene but reported no incidents of violence. Sajjad Hossain, Inspector (Investigation) of Panchlaish Police Station, said the situation remained under control and that the blockade was lifted peacefully after about an hour. "The protesters have now gathered at Biplab Udyan and are continuing to chant slogans," he added.
4:45pm
Shahbag blocked
A huge number of protesters, led by the National Citizen Party (NCP), have blocked the Shahbagh intersection in the capital in demand of a ban on the Awami League at 4:45pm.
The blockade began shortly after Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of NCP, announced that they would block the Shahbagh intersection to press home their demand at a mass rally, which kicked off at 2:30pm after Jumma prayer, with the same demand in front of the chief adviser's official residence Jamuna.
4:30pm
Hefazat instructs leaders, activists to stay on streets until AL is banned
The Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has called on its leaders, activists, and students to remain on the streets until the Awami League is officially banned and held accountable for the mass killings during last year's July Uprising and the reported killings of the 2013 rally at Shapla Chattar.
In a statement issued today (9 May), Hefazat's Ameer Allama Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Allama Sajedur Rahman condemned what they termed the "impunity" given to perpetrators of mass killings.
They accused the AL of being a "terrorist organisation" responsible for unlawful violence and alleged atrocities.
4:00pm
Activists of SAD, Shibir, Hefazat protest in Rajshahi
As part of the 'March for Ban Awami League' campaign, members of the SAD in Rajshahi held a sit-in protest, demanding the trial and ban of what they described as the "genocidal and fascist" Awami League.
Starting around 2:30pm, protesters from various areas marched towards Talaimari Mor in Rajshahi city, where they began their sit-in. It ended at 3:30pm.
Leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir and Hefazat-e-Islam also joined the demonstration, expressing solidarity with the SAD.
2:30pm
NCP organises rally in front CA's residence
NCP held a mass rally near the chief adviser's residence Jamuna in Dhaka at around 2:30pm, demanding a ban on the Awami League.
Earlier, Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of NCP, announced that the rally would be held after Jummah prayers.
2:00pm
Massive protest in Rangpur demanding ban on AL politics
Leaders and activists of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), NCP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan and other organisations have taken out a massive protest march demanding ban on Awami League politics and speedy trial of Sheikh Hasina and her associates.
The protest march started from the DC Intersection area of Rangpur city after the Juma prayers. The procession circled various roads and gathered at a massive protest rally on the main road in front of the Civil Surgeon's office and Rangpur Zilla School.
12:30pm
At around 12pm on, protesters, led by the National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders, marched towards Jamuna and gathered in front of the fountain beside the InterContinental Hotel to demonstrate over the demand to ban AL. They chanted various slogans demanding a ban on the Awami League.
