Awami League targets to occupy the streets in May-June!

The Awami League was ousted from power in the student-public uprising of 24 and the party's grassroots leaders, including the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, fled abroad. Sheikh Hasina is currently staying in India. And almost all of the top leadership are in hiding, even though they are in different countries.

Sheikh Hasina has not been seen in public anymore. However, it has been seen at various times that she has been giving instructions to leaders and activists on social media. A plan to take to the streets has already been made. Leaders and activists of various organizations including the Awami League and the banned Chhatra League have planned to occupy the streets in May and June. They are taking out sudden processions across the country as per the instructions.

The daily Desh Panthwaran has published a report titled 'AL is targeting to occupy the streets in May-June!' regarding this. The report has brought out various aspects including these plans and police preparations.

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Already, flash marches have been seen in various parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, under the banner of the Awami League. The Desh Panthur report says that members of the law enforcement agencies are working hard to prevent these flash marches that are destabilizing the country.

According to the police headquarters, 4,766 people have been arrested from all over the country in the last three days. Two-thirds of them are Awami League members. Students are also on the ground alongside members of the law enforcement agencies to resist the Awami League and Chhatra League. However, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has requested people not to panic about such flash marches by banned organizations. In addition, Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has ordered action against the police if they fail to control the Awami League procession.

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On the afternoon of April 21, it was learned from several intelligence agencies, police and some Awami League leaders and activists that on the night of April 19, former Gazipur mayor and former general secretary of the metropolitan Awami League Md. Jahangir Alam held a Zoom meeting with leaders and activists of various districts, upazilas and police stations of the country for four hours in the ‘Dhanmondi Batrish’ Telegram group.

He told the party workers, ‘Currently, there is a problem of funds’. No one is able to send money from abroad. Therefore, we have to start with a quick procession in every district. This procession will include local ward or union level workers. In addition, there are instructions to participate in the quick procession in the guise of rickshaw, auto driver and bus helper. If necessary, electric shock devices and small items should be kept for self-defense. The instructions also say that low-level leaders and activists who are abroad will be sent to Bangladesh. If 1,000 leaders and activists come, 200 will be arrested if necessary, but 800 will be in reserve. The party plans to gather at least 1.5 million people in 63 districts. They have planned major sabotage activities in May and June, with the possibility of widespread bloody clashes.

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It has already been seen that the incidents of Awami League and its affiliates taking out quick processions are increasing. In the past week, fifty quick processions have been held at various points in the capital. Party leaders and activists are taking out quick processions at district, police station and ward levels across the country. Photo sessions are being held at these processions.

Many leaders and activists are posting them on social media under pseudonym IDs. Video footage of the processions is being sent to top Awami League leaders who are absconding outside the country. As the number of processions has increased, the activity of law enforcement agencies has also increased.

In the 22 days from February 8 to March 1, 12,500 leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliates were arrested in the Operation Devil Hunt campaign across the country. Since then, the campaign to arrest Awami League leaders and activists has been on a pause. Currently, the number of arrests has increased again, centered on the quick processions of Awami League and the banned Chhatra League.

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Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that action will be taken against the police if they are negligent in controlling the sudden processions of the Awami League and the banned Chhatra League. He said, "The police have been instructed to prevent processions in the future. If they cannot control it, action will be taken against them."

Inamul Haque Sagar, Assistant Inspector General (Media) of the Police Headquarters, said that legal action will be taken against any banned organization if it takes out a procession. He told Desh Panthwaran that although it is not possible to arrest the marchers immediately, many are being arrested and brought under the law after analyzing the photos and video footage. The police are active in preventing the mischief of isolated and illegal organizations. Apart from this, if a banned organization takes out a procession, they will be arrested.

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On the night of April 17, leaders and activists of the Awami League, the banned Chhatra League and its affiliates held flash marches in various areas of the country, including the capital, with provocative messages. The fugitive Awami League leaders and activists were planning to blockade the capital with logs and benches, starting with the flash marches. However, their plan was thwarted due to the alliance between the students and the public and the police. Students and the public and Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) leaders and activists across the country, including the capital, have become vocal in building resistance. Several leaders and activists said that these discussions have been held with the leaders and activists of the Awami League and affiliates through group chats and audio messages for the past few days. Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has informed that the police is taking a strict stance against those who are trying to take to the streets with flash marches.

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On April 18, an audio recording of Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, the Liberation War Affairs Secretary of the Awami League Central Committee and former Member of Parliament for Munshiganj-3 constituency, went viral. In it, the leader gave instructions to the leaders and activists not to take to the streets right now. He announced that he would organize for now and then take to the field according to the plan and follow the instructions.

In a press release, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued a strong message regarding the sudden procession of the banned Chhatra League and various organizations with similar views, saying, "Although it was not possible to arrest the marchers immediately, many were arrested and brought under the law after analyzing the photos and video footage. The police are working hard to prevent the mischief of these isolated and illegal organizations."

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The Desh Futaran correspondent spoke to a member of the Awami League Presidium on general issues. The leader, who did not want to be named, said, "Awami League is like a lotus flower blooming in a pond filled with water. No one sows seeds for these lotus flowers, they grow alone and bloom. Similarly, Awami League is born and blooms with the nation."