'March to Indian High Commission' ends at Badda as police block July Oikya demonstrators
The blockade triggered severe traffic congestion across the area.
A protest march announced by a platform called July Oikya, demanding the return of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive Awami League leaders from India, ended this afternoon (17 December) at 5pm after police blocked the demonstrators at Badda area in the capital.
The march began at about 3:30pm from Rampura Bridge but was stopped by police barricades in front of Hossain Market in North Badda around 4pm, preventing the protesters from advancing towards the diplomatic zone.
Despite the blockade, leaders and activists of July Oikya removed some barricades and staged a sit-in on Pragati Sarani, delivering speeches and chanting slogans, including "Follow Babar's path, free the Seven Sisters."
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Vehicular movement on Pragati Sarani and the Badda–Gulshan Link Road remained suspended from around 3pm to 4:45pm, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.
AKM Nasrut Hasan, assistant commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the demonstrators were not allowed to move beyond Rampura Bridge towards Badda and were stopped with barricades.
The demonstrators blocked the Rampura-Badda road during their march, demanding the extradition of those allegedly involved in the attempted killing of Osman Hadi, Inqilab Mancha spokesperson and a prospective independent candidate for Dhaka-8, reports UNB.
The march, led by Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair, started at Rampura Bridge at about 3pm and advanced towards North Badda.
However, after facing police resistance, the demonstrators sat on the road in front of Hossain Market in North Badda, chanting slogans.
Addressing the demonstrators, Zubair said they have no intention of moving further with the procession and only want to send a message that no one will be allowed to impose dominance over Bangladesh at will.
"We are not afraid, and we will not attack the Indian High Commission. Our protest is a peaceful one. But if anyone tries to maintain hegemonic control over Bangladesh, they will not be spared," UNB quoted him as saying.
The blockade triggered severe traffic congestion across the area.
Earlier in the day, security measures were tightened in Dhaka's diplomatic zone following the announcement of the march.
Nur-e-Alam Siddique, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Diplomatic Security Division, said police personnel from the Gulshan Division and the Diplomatic Security Division were deployed in the Rampura Bridge area as well as the Gulshan-1 intersection to prevent any untoward incident.
The march also aimed to protest what July Oikya described as "conspiracies by Indian proxy political parties, media and government officials."
It also demanded the return of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and fugitive Awami League leaders currently in India.
