Unrest gripped Dhaka as Awami League (AL) leaders and supporters faced fierce resistance at the historic Zero Point in Gulistan, where students and activists from various opposition parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, clashed with Awami League members, thwarting their planned event. The standoff led to violent scuffles, with at least 10 individuals, including two women, attacked on suspicion of Awami League affiliation.
The violence erupted as Raju Ahmed Miran, Ridoy, and other Awami League supporters attempted to chant slogans near the stadium. In response, opposition supporters accused them of trying to disrupt the area, leading to physical confrontations. Injured Awami League supporters were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, with police confirming that they would be questioned following medical treatment.
This unrest coincides with Awami League’s attempted commemoration of Shaheed Noor Hossain Day, a historic day marking the 1987 police shooting of Noor Hossain, a Jubo League leader who was killed while protesting the authoritarian rule of HM Ershad. While Awami League’s plans included a “protest march to restore democracy,” counter-demonstrators seized Zero Point, declaring that they would prevent any Awami League gatherings there. Noor Hossain’s family and various political parties, excluding Awami League, observed the day by placing wreaths at the memorial.
Awami League Rally Turns Violent
In anticipation of potential clashes, police conducted preemptive raids across Dhaka on Saturday night, detaining over 50 Awami League activists, accused of preparing to incite unrest under the guise of the event. The interim government denounced Awami League actions, referring to the party as “fascist” and emphasizing its determination to halt any gatherings led by AL supporters.
Demonstrators from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and other political organizations occupied Zero Point from early morning, brandishing sticks and blocking the Awami League from reaching the area. Activists also guarded the Awami League headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue, aggressively confronting individuals who chanted Awami League slogans.
Tensions mounted when an elderly man, suspected of Awami League affiliation, was severely beaten by demonstrators around noon before police intervened to rescue him. The incident reflects a growing intolerance among opposition forces toward the Awami League, as political divisions intensify across Bangladesh’s capital. Dhaka police continue to detain individuals connected to the event, pledging further investigations into the confrontations that unfolded throughout the day.