Demand to ban AL: Mass rally continues at Shahbagh

A mass rally demanding a ban on the Awami League is currently under way at the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka.

Leaders and activists from different organisations including the Islami Chhatra Shibir, Platform United Peoples Bangladesh (UP Bangladesh), July Mancha, and Inqilab Moncho joined the gathering at 3:00pm today, reports our correspondent on the spot.

Several other political and student groups are also expected to join the demonstration.

Around 3:30pm, Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of the National Citizen Party (NCP); Sarjis Alam, chief organiser (North) of NCP; Ali Ahsan Zonaed, convener of UP Bangladesh; and Sibghatullah, a central leader of Chhatra Shibir, took position on the steps beneath a billboard at Shahbagh intersection.

Protest organisers called on participants to sit peacefully and maintain order.

Sarjis told demonstrators, "Today, we will hold the programme with one microphone and one objective. No one should use a separate microphone."

Through loudspeakers, protesters chanted slogans such as, "Ban the Awami League, it must be banned", and, "Catch Awami League members one by one, throw them in jail".

The protest followed a series of sit-ins organised by the NCP.

A sit-in was held outside Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's residence Jamuna, from Thursday night until 12:00pm yesterday.

Later that day, another sit-in and rally took place at the Minto Road intersection from 12:00pm to 4:30pm.

Leaders from Islamist parties, student wings, and platforms linked to the July Uprising participated.

At 4:35pm yesterday, Hasnat announced the launch of the Shahbagh Blockade, which was followed by a procession that marched to occupy the intersection.

Speaking to journalists around 11:00pm yestersday, Hasnat said the sit-in at Shahbagh would continue until three demands were met.

The demands include declaring the Awami League a terrorist organisation and banning it. Amending the International Crimes Tribunal Act to allow for the trial of the Awami League as a political entity and announcing the July Declaration.

As of 5:00pm today, the blockade remains in place.

Hasnat, in a verified Facebook post around 4:00am today, urged supporters to refrain from enforcing blockades on highways elsewhere in the country.

"Apart from Shahbagh, do not block highways in Dhaka or across the country. Organise spontaneous gatherings and rallies in districts, but withdraw any existing blockades," his post read.