A tense situation was prevailing in the capital on Sunday as ousted Awami League announced its plan to hold a programme on Bangabandhu Avenue, marking Shaheed Noor Hossain Day.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 amid mass upsurge, for the first time, AL tried to hold the programme in the capital.
Leaders and activists of different political parties, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and general people staged demonstrations in the capital since early Sunday to resist the ‘fascist’ Awami League.
They also held similar programmes in different districts of the country and vowed to resist the AL. Chanting various slogans against the AL, BNP leaders and activists took position at Zero Point and in front of the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.
The government has deployed 191 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh across the country including the capital city to maintain law and order.
Witnesses said that AL activists failed to bring out any procession or rally despite the party's eight-point directives to them.
The protesters also beat some activists of AL when they tried to gather on Bangabandhu Avenue, they said, adding that anyone suspected of being involved with Awami League was being beaten up at Zero Point and in front of the party's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.
At least seven people were beaten up at the two locations till 4:00 pm, they added.
Three people were beaten up in front of the Awami League office and one was beaten up at the mass rally of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in front of General Post Office.
Police present on the spots were trying to dissuade the public and requesting them to remain calm. The suspects were being handed over to Paltan police, said police sources.
However, students and supporters of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement ended their programmes at Gulistan's Zero Point intersection and surrounding areas in the evening.
Being failed to hold the scheduled programme on Bangabandhu Avenue, some AL activists brought out two rallies one from Gulistan BRTC Bus Terminal and the other one from Motijheel area. Due to the students’ rally, traffic came to a halt in different areas, including Gulistan intersection, Tikatuli and Motijheel.
Nagging traffic jam was seen in Paltan, Baitul Mukarram, Dainik Bangla crossings, Gulistan and Golap Shah Mazar and on the roads in Old Dhaka.
Leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organisations had also been in front of the AL office on Bangabandhu Avenue since last night.
Since the morning, leaders and activists of Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and Mohila Dal were seen marching and taking position there as well.
They also beat up some people on suspicion of being AL activists and handed them over to polices.
The detainees have been taken into custody for questioning, said Paltan police station Officer-in-Charge Kazi Nasirul Amin.
Apart from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement and affiliated organisations of BNP, leaders and activists of various organisations including Jamaat-e-Islami, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Inqilaab Mancha also converged in the area. Many were seen carrying sticks.
Security was beefed up at Zero Point, Bangabandhu Avenue and the surrounding areas since last night.
From its verified Facebook post, Awami League announced a gathering at Zero Point at 3:00pm Sunday and urged its activists to come and protest against what they called ‘misrule’.
“Our protest is against the deprivation of the rights of the people of the country; Our protest is against the rise of fundamentalist forces; our protest is against the conspiracy to disrupt the lives of the common people,” reads the Facebook post.
Following the AL’s post, Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, said AL would not be granted permission to hold a protest programme in Dhaka city.
Later on, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, an adviser to the interim government, said law enforcers would take stern action if any organisation linked to the mass killings tried to hold any political programme.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested some 50 individuals over their connection to the execution of directives from a recently viral audio clip of Sheikh Hasina.
DMP Deputy Commissioner of the Media and Public Relations Branch Talebur Rahman confirmed the arrest on Sunday.
Talebur Rahman said that the audio clip circulated on various social media platforms directed individuals to organise illegal processions using images of newly elected US president and the American flag to destabilise the country.
The audio reportedly mentioned using Donald Trump's image and placards as shields, with instructions to capture footage of vandalism and disrespect in staged situations.
The plan was made aimed at damaging the friendly relations between Bangladesh and the US, he added.
The DMP launched operations across various areas in Dhaka on Saturday and continued until Sunday. Numerous provocative posters, placards with images, and cash were also seized during the drive.
The DMP official emphasized that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police remains vigilant against any conspiracies aimed at destabilizing the state.
He further noted that efforts are ongoing to arrest the instigators, financiers, and others involved in this scheme.
