Awami League activists from the party’s Mohammadpur thana unit staged a torchlight procession in the Kallyanpur area of the capital on Saturday evening, 31 October. More than 50 people reportedly took part in the march, which began in the Darus Salam area before ending within the jurisdiction of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
The procession started at around 7pm, with participants carrying burning torches as they moved through the streets. Videos circulating on social media showed dozens of people marching together, with members of the Mohammadpur unit of the Awami League reportedly among those taking part.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the procession was organised under the direction of Tarekuzzaman Rajib, member-secretary of the Mohammadpur thana unit of the Awami League and a former councillor. However, no independent confirmation was provided regarding his direct involvement in organising the event.
Mohammad Fazlul Haque, second-in-command (TIC) of the Tejgaon Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed that a torchlight procession had taken place. He said a group affiliated with the Awami League began marching from the Darus Salam Police Station area during the evening before moving towards Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, where the procession came to an end.
There was, however, a discrepancy in the accounts provided by police officials concerning the reported starting point. Dulal Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Darus Salam Police Station, denied that any such procession had taken place within his station’s jurisdiction.
The differing statements have left some uncertainty over the precise location from which the march began. While the Tejgaon divisional police official confirmed the procession and identified Darus Salam as its starting area, the officer in charge of the local police station disputed that account.
The incident comes amid heightened political sensitivity surrounding the activities of the Awami League. Torchlight processions are a form of public political demonstration, often used by parties and their supporters to express political positions and draw attention to their demands.
Although videos of Saturday’s march have circulated widely on social media, the available information does not establish the full route taken by the participants or provide details of the slogans and specific demands raised during the procession.
Police officials have confirmed that the march took place, but no further details regarding any subsequent action, investigation or arrests were provided in the initial accounts of the incident.
