Banned Hizb ut-Tahrir’s ‘March for Khilafat’ under police radar, won’t be allowed to hold public events: DMP

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has reaffirmed that it will take necessary legal action if banned organisations, including Hizb ut-Tahrir, hold any meetings, rallies, and other publicity events regarding their organisations.

The DMP issued the warning in a press release, signed by DMP Deputy Commissioner (DC - Media and Public Relations) Talebur Rahman, on Thursday. 

The warning came after Hizb ut-Tahrir recently announced a "March for Khilafat" programme after the Jummah prayers from the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday (7 March). 

The organisation also put up thousands of posters on walls across the capital, calling people to join the event.

The public display by a banned organisation has raised eyebrows.

DC Talebur said the Bangladesh government banned Hizb ut-Tahrir on 22 October 2009, considering it a threat to public security, under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.

All activities including meetings, rallies, processions, distribution of posters and leaflets, and publicity through other means by any banned organisation are punishable offences under the act.

Meanwhile, Talebur also reiterated that Hizb ut-Tahrir is a banned organisation under Bangladesh's laws. "Dhaka Metropolitan Police will take action if the banned group holds meetings, rallies, or propagates any other means of propaganda."

'Thousands of Hizb ut-members active online'

In recent days, Hizb ut-Tahrir has put up posters in different parts of Dhaka city – including the Dhaka University campus – announcing a programme at Baitul Mukarram on Friday. They also distributed leaflets in several locations.

A police official, wishing not to be named, told The Business Standard that Hizb ut-Tahrir still has thousands of members active online. 

"We have traced down dozens of their online meetings which took place after the ouster of the Awami League government. We keep our eyes on them—they demand a so-called 'Usmaniya Khilafat' which they claim was suppressed by the British government around 101 years back in 1924. They want to reclaim and reestablish the same rule of Usmaniya Khilafat across the region," the police official said. 

Meanwhile, a senior DMP official told The Business Standard that hundreds of additional policemen would be deployed at the Baitul Mukarram area on Friday to thwart any activities by the banned outfit. 

"Troops from Motijheel and Ramna division would also be deployed there. Members from joint forces have also been requested for safety concerns," the official added.