Group claiming to be 'July Joddha' occupies AL head office, hangs banner

A group of people identifying themselves as "July Joddha" has occupied the Awami League (AL) head office in the capital's Shaheed Abrar Fahad Avenue, previously known as Bangabandhu Avenue. 

A banner with the name was seen hanging over the ousted party's head office today (16 May).

Talking to our correspondent on the spot, those who hung the banners said they will hold an event this afternoon to occupy the office. 

Meanwhile, Abu Bakar, convener of Warriors of July, told The Business Standard that the banner doesn't belong to them. 

"The banner is not ours. None of our members are involved in such activities. We have a specific organogram and rules. This was done by someone else," he said. 

"We always use our banner as Warriors of July. We have no idea who put up the 'July Joddha' banner or what their purpose is," he added. 

Mosaddek Ali Ibn Mohammad, one of the organisers of July Unity - a coalition of 80 organisations associated with the July mass uprising - said, "We don't have any organisation or platform with the 'July Joddha' banner. We haven't heard of any activity under this name."

On 14 May, a video on social media showed a group of people identifying as "July Joddha" had taken control of AL's central office. 

They said they would use it as their central office from now on. A banner reading 'July Joddhader Prodhan Office' (Main Office of July Fighters) was also hung on the building of the banned AL's central office.

The video showed them hanging the banner with the address "23 Abrar Fahad Avenue."

While the location was previously known as 23 Bangabandhu Avenue, it was renamed 'Shaheed Abrar Fahad Avenue' by Dhaka South City Corporation back in March.

Additionally, last Wednesday (14 May), a signboard of an organisation called 'July Joddha' was hung at the AL office on Bangabandhu Road in Thakurgaon with the same banner. 

It was later removed following the local administration's intervention.