8 arrested as Awami League stages protest marches in 10 locations across Dhaka

Supporters of the Awami League, whose political activities are banned, have held protest marches in 10 different locations across Dhaka, demanding that the interim government step down and an end to "false cases" against party leaders and activists.

The processions took place between 10:30am and 11:30am on Tuesday, leading to the arrests of eight people, according to police, bdnews24.com reports. 

Around 10:30am, Awami League leaders and activists reportedly numbering in the hundreds began a march from across the road from Kurmitola General Hospital.

"They came from Kuril and headed towards Kurmitola Hospital. Police chased them and detained three people," said Alamgir Jahan, chief of Cantonment Police Station.

Officers from Khilkhet Police Station also arrested four people from the same procession, he added.

In the Shonir Akhra area, several hundred Awami League leaders and activists reportedly marched under the banner of the Dhaka South Awami League.

A resident of the Jatrabari area said, “I suddenly saw hundreds of Awami League people marching on the main road. They were moving toward Jatrabari along the Demra Road.”

He added that slogans were also chanted against the interim government during the procession.

In the Joykali Temple area of Wari, Awami League leaders and activists took out a procession chanting slogans against the government.

Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Wari Division, said:

“We are trying to identify those who took part in the procession. No one was arrested from it.”

Around 11:30am, a group of Awami League leaders and activists brought out another procession from the corner of the Abahani Field in Dhanmondi.

When contacted, Dhanmondi Police Station chief Kayshainu Marma said: “I will talk about the procession later.”

Aslam Hossain, chief of Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station, said: “Around 11:15am, a procession was held from the south side of the land ministry building. We couldn’t arrest anyone, but our team is working in the field to detain them.”

A pedestrian in the Tejgaon Satrasta area said he saw "several hundred" Awami League members march towards Satrasta in a procession, chanting various slogans.

At the Bata Signal intersection, police were seen chasing protesters and detaining one person around 11am. However, it was not immediately clear which police station had made the arrest.

From in front of Bangladesh Betar in Agargaon, a procession was brought out under the banner of Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League.

In the Matsya Bhaban area under Ramna, leaders and activists of Awami League-affiliated organisations also held a march involving several hundred participants.

Additionally, in the Dilkusha area of Motijheel, leaders and activists of the Dhaka Metropolitan South Chhatra League held a protest procession.