Two attempts to take over Awami League central office in 3 months
Since 5 August last year, the Awami League's central office in Gulistan has remained abandoned. But since May, there have been two attempts to take over the 10-storey building under two different banners. Currently, one group is cleaning and restoring the premises.
Authorities have stated they are unaware of the identity or affiliations of those cleaning the building. Meanwhile, the occupiers have yet to disclose any detailed identity or intention.
Since Wednesday, a group has hung a red banner reading "International Institute for the Study of Fascism and Genocide" on the building.
Yesterday, a TBS reporter visited the site and saw the banner hanging at the entrance while cleaning was underway. A team from WASA was draining out filthy water that had accumulated on the ground floor for over a year, and several workers were seen inside conducting cleaning tasks.
Previously, from 14 May, another banner reading Headquarters of the July Warriors had been hanging from the building for several weeks. No one claimed responsibility at the time, although banners with the same name appeared at other Awami League offices in various districts.
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One of the workers currently involved in the cleanup, Matbor Ali, told reporters, "We started work last Wednesday. We expect to clear all the waste by 31 July."
When asked what the new name of the office would be, a man named Sohrab Ali pointed to the red banner and said, "That's the name of the new office."
Ripun Mia, who sells local fruits on a cart opposite the Awami League office near Ramna Market, told reporters, "Over the past year, people have dumped garbage here, and the stench has hurt the businesses of nearby shopkeepers. It also turned into an open toilet for homeless people, rickshaw-pullers, van drivers, and passers-by. Drug users also gathered here."
When asked about the matter, Hussain Md Farabi, assistant commissioner of the Motijheel zone, told TBS that the police are unaware of any renovation or restoration taking place. "If we're asked to carry out any duties there, we will do so, but no such instructions have been issued to us so far," he said.
Following the Liberation War, several abandoned buildings in Gulistan were repurposed as political party offices. One of them was the old structure at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue, which has served as the Awami League's central office since 1981. The 8-katha land was leased from the government for 99 years.
In 2016, the party demolished the old building and constructed the current 10-storey facility at a cost of Tk10 crore.
