B'desh police arrest 21 Awami League leaders protesting against Sheikh Hasina's trial
Dhaka, Nov 17
At least 21 leaders and activists of the Awami League were arrested by Bangladesh police across Narayanganj district over the past 36 hours, as of Monday morning, local media reported.
Confirming the development, Additional Superintendent of Police Tarek Al Mehedi said that security has been tightened across the district to maintain law and order.
He said nine checkpoints have been installed at key entry points to Dhaka, along major roads and highways, while twenty-six mobile teams are patrolling the district, Bangladesh's leading newspaper, The Daily Star, reported.
These latest developments come amid the ongoing crackdown on Awami League leaders, along with the party's supporters, under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government ahead of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) verdict against Hasina.
Earlier on Sunday, police arrested 44 leaders and activists of the Awami League across various places in Cumilla district.
Cumilla Police Superintendent Mohammad Nazir Ahmed Khan said that acting on a tip-off, the police took into custody 29 leaders and activists of the Awami League's student wing, Chhatra League, on charges of planning acts of sabotage in the Tomsom Bridge, Badurtala and Dharmasagarpar areas of the city while preparing for a flash procession.
He added that 15 more leaders and activists of the Chhatra League were arrested during raids across the district.
Meanwhile, Dhaka has been placed under unprecedented security clampdown after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Sunday evening issued a 'shoot-at-sight order' targeting individuals engaged in arson attacks, cocktail explosions or attempts to harm police and civilians ahead of the ICT verdict.
The two-day strike organised by Hasina's Awami League for November 16–17 has coincided with an increase in cocktail explosions and arson incidents throughout the capital.
Meanwhile, the ICT is scheduled to announce its verdict on Monday regarding the case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others, who are charged with crimes against humanity related to the demonstrations in July of last year.
The other co-accused are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who is in custody and has pleaded guilty.
According to the Awami League, several observers, legal experts, and human rights advocates raised serious concerns about the ongoing case against Hasina.
The party stated that many are calling it "less a trial and more a politically motivated effort" by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to remove a democratically elected leader from Bangladesh's future.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The 'shoot-at-sight' order is extremely worrying. While maintaining law and order is important, such extreme measures remind us of emergency-era politics. Hope Bangladesh finds a democratic solution.
As an Indian watching our neighbor, this seems like political vendetta. Arresting opposition leaders before a verdict raises serious questions about judicial independence. Bangladesh deserves better.
While I understand the need for security, arresting student activists for planning processions seems excessive. Youth should have the right to peaceful protest in any democracy.
The timing of these arrests right before the verdict is suspicious. If the trial is fair and transparent, why such preemptive actions? This doesn't look good for Bangladesh's democratic credentials.
As someone who has worked in Dhaka, I can say the security situation there directly impacts Indian businesses and investments. Hope the interim government handles this responsibly without escalating tensions further.
Both sides need to show restraint. The government should allow peaceful protests, and the opposition should avoid violence. Democracy means respecting different viewpoints. ðŸ™
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.