Dhaka Police Arrest Seven Awami League Members in Banani

Police in the capital have intercepted an unapproved late-night procession, arresting seven individuals—including four juveniles—in the Banani area on suspicion of planning acts of sabotage.

The operation was conducted by a tactical team from Banani Police Station under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at approximately 12:20 am on Friday (7 August), shortly past midnight on Thursday. Officers targeted a section of the Dhaka-Mymensingh outgoing highway, situated directly across from the Army Stadium, where demonstrators had begun to assemble.

Authorities reported that a crowd numbering between 100 and 120 activists, associated with the banned Awami League and its affiliate wings, had gathered in the area after advancing from the vicinity of Sainik Club. The gathering was allegedly organised to stage a swift, disruptive “flash procession” using lit torches and banners to create public anxiety and potentially precipitate violent clashes.

Acting on real-time intelligence, DMP personnel moved swiftly to secure the perimeter. Sensing the impending police action, the bulk of the crowd fled into the surrounding neighbourhood under cover of night. However, officers managed to detain seven individuals directly involved in the rally’s preparation.

The three adult suspects taken into custody have been identified as 19-year-olds Md. Arif, Md. Shakil Ahmed, and Ashik Ahmed Mostafa. The four remaining individuals are legally classified as minors in conflict with the law, and police confirmed their cases are being managed under the relevant child protection legal provisions.

A search of the immediate area yielded a significant cache of paraphernalia, including 70 wooden torches, a primary political banner, and 77 face masks intended to obscure the identities of the marchers.

Banani Police Station confirmed that formal legal proceedings have been initiated against the seven apprehended suspects alongside the primary instigators and organisers of the event. Surveillance across key transit corridors in Dhaka has been intensified to deter further unauthorised assemblies.