Awami League Holds Midnight Torchlight Rally

In Gosairhat, Shariatpur, members of the Awami League and its allied organisations staged a sudden torchlight rally in the dead of night on Thursday, 25 December. The demonstration, which unfolded around midnight, saw participants carrying banners and chanting slogans, drawing widespread attention both locally and on social media.

The rally featured posters reading: “Torchlight procession against the destructive arson of the illegal Yunus government and its unlawful schedules. Organised by Grassroots Awami League, Gosairhat, Shariatpur.” A video of the event quickly went viral on the social media platform Facebook, fuelling discussion across the region.

Political observers in the area described the rally as unprecedented since 5 August, when the Awami League-led government collapsed. Since then, public political activity by the party in Gosairhat had largely been dormant. Locals noted that the rally marked the first overt demonstration in the area since the party leader, Sheikh Hasina, travelled abroad discreetly following the government’s fall.

Participants were seen carrying banners emblazoned with party slogans, but notably, no senior leaders attended in person. Most of the attendees’ faces were covered with masks or cloths, and the posters displayed only images of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Water Resources Minister Abdur Razzak. Among the slogans chanted were: “Sheikh Hasina will return, Bangladesh will smile.” Footage and photos of the rally were subsequently shared widely on various Awami League-affiliated Facebook pages.

The event has stirred concern among local political circles. A former student league leader, speaking anonymously, urged authorities to act within 24 hours, calling for the arrest of those carrying banned Awami League banners or posters to prevent disturbances in Gosairhat. He warned that any untoward incidents occurring thereafter would be the administration’s responsibility.

Attempts to reach Officer-in-Charge Md. Azizul Islam of Gosairhat Police Station for comment were unsuccessful, as repeated calls went unanswered.

Key Details of the Torchlight Rally:

The rally has prompted widespread discussion on social media and in local communities, highlighting the sensitive political climate in Shariatpur following the government’s recent upheaval. Analysts suggest that such nocturnal demonstrations, while symbolically significant, may further heighten tensions in the region.