Protesters, led by NCP, continue sit-in in front of CA's residence demanding ban on AL
Leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami joined the protest around 8am this morning
Highlights
- Sit-in kicked off at 10:00pm yesterday (8 May)
- Adviser Asif Mahmud says ban on Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League imminent
- NCP leaders say they won't move without clear roadmap on AL ban
- Nahid, along with NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain joined the protesters at the spot at around 1:00am
Students and supporters of the National Citizen Party (NCP), led by the party's leaders, continued their indefinite sit-in programme in front of Chief Adviser's official residence Jamuna, demanding a ban on the Awami League.
The demonstration kicked off at 10pm last night (8 May) and continued till writing this report around 9am.
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"We will stay here until we get a clear roadmap regarding Awami League's ban," Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser (South) of NCP, who had earlier announced the protest in a post on his Facebook profile, said at the sit-in programme last night.
Members of RAB, army, police were deployed at the spot, who were seen trying to calm the situation, our correspondent reports.
The protesters are chanting various slogans demanding a ban on Awami League.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami joined the protest around 8am this morning. Several hundred Jamaat activists, led by Shafiqul Islam Masud, secretary of Dhaka South unit, were seen marching to the protest venue
A group of protesters from Islami Andolan Bangladesh also joined NCP in its sit-in last night.
Earlier, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan announced that Awami League's affiliated organisations – Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League — are set to be banned and the process is now in the final stage.
NCP leaders, including its Convener Nahid Islam, swiftly responded to the announcement, saying they will not accept anything less than the ban on AL.
"The farce of banning the Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League will not be accepted. Awami League must be declared a terrorist and fascist organisation and banned. Provisions for trial as a party must be added to the ICT Act," Nahid wrote in a Facebook post at 11:23pm, shortly after Asif's announcement.
Hasnat made the same post at around the same time.
"We do not stand with those whose agendas lack a clear commitment to banning the genocidal Awami League," he also wrote in a Facebook post earlier in the day.
Adviser Asif expresses solidarity with NCP's demand to ban AL
Following the Facebook posts of the NCP leaders, Adviser Asif, in a Facebook post at 12:40am, clarified that the decision to ban Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League was made days ago and that it was not an attempt to subdue the movement demanding the ban on AL.
"The decision to ban Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League was made a few days ago. This is not a process to suppress the movement. Rather, it is another step towards banning the Awami League," he wrote.
Expressing solidarity with the demand for banning AL, he also wrote, "Personally, I think that the Awami League, as a political party that committed genocide, has no right to do politics in Bangladesh. July's pledge is to ensure the trial of the genocide perpetrators and to politically ban and eliminate the Awami League."
"Let July unite," he added.
Will not leave streets until clear roadmap on ban declared: Nahid
Meanwhile, in an earlier post on Facebook at 10:24pm, shortly after the protest in front of the CA's residence kicked off, Nahid wrote, "Our promise in July was to bring the murderers to justice. And Mujibists will never be able to do politics on Bengali soil again."
"We can see that the trial of the fascist and murderous Awami League is being delayed. No decision is being taken to cancel the registration and ban the Awami League. The accused are being granted bail. The president of the illegal fascist government has been allowed to escape before our eyes. Our distrust in the government has been created on the issue of justice," the post reads.
"We will not leave the streets until a clear roadmap for the trial, cancellation of registration and ban on political activities of the Awami League is presented," the NCP chief also wrote.
He called on all to join the protest, writing, "I call on all forces of July, all martyr families and the injured to come out on the streets. Our struggle will continue until justice is ensured."
Nahid, along with NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain joined the protesters at the spot at around 1:00am.
