Questions raised over Awami League procession

The procession by the activities banned Awami League in Gulshan, Dhaka has prompted the government to reassess the situation. Questions have arisen over how the party’s leaders and activists managed to gather in the important area surrounded by the Prime Minister’s residence, embassies and diplomats’ residences. Discussions are also underway over possible failures in intelligence surveillance and law enforcement.

The issue of such activities by the activities banned Awami League and banned Chhatra League in different parts of Dhaka and the country was also discussed at a meeting of the BNP Standing Committee. However, BNP is not concerned about the sudden procession. Party leaders said that an organisation whose activities are banned cannot hold any programme publicly. If anyone wants to create instability in the country, the government’s law enforcement agencies will take necessary action and no concession will be given in this regard.

A leader who attended the meeting told Agamir Somoy that these issues were discussed at the Standing Committee meeting held at the political office of the party chairman in Gulshan, Dhaka on Saturday night. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting.

On Friday afternoon, leaders and activists of the Awami League brought out a sudden procession from in front of Bhola Mosque in Gulshan 1. Two cocktails were exploded when police moved to disperse them. Police also opened fire to bring the situation under control. Two people were arrested from the scene and five cocktails were recovered.

Questions have been raised over whether intelligence agencies had prior information about such a large gathering in a sensitive area like Gulshan. If they did, why was action not taken before the procession began? If they did not, where was the weakness in intelligence surveillance?

Another issue has also emerged. Law enforcement agencies are investigating whether new activities have begun within the party following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement that she would return to the country from India in December and reports that Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Selim had been assigned responsibility as acting leader in her absence.

Although Sheikh Hasina has announced that she will return to Bangladesh from India next December, uncertainty remains over the matter. Several sources linked to the Awami League said the party’s leaders and activists would now attempt to organise secret processions and gatherings at regular intervals to keep the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s return alive. The Gulshan procession was part of that activity. Several mid level leaders of the activities banned party indicated that the scale of such programmes could increase further.