Four Arrested Following Prohibited Awami League Procession

The Tejgaon Industrial Area Police have apprehended four individuals, including a woman, following a sudden procession staged by the banned political party, the Awami League, and its affiliate organisations in Dhaka’s Mohakhali area. The political demonstration, which took place on Thursday morning, was marked by the detonation of several crude bombs (locally known as cocktails), causing panic among commuters and residents. Law enforcement personnel quickly moved to intercept the gathering, restoring order and dispersing the remaining participants.

Procession Details and Explosive Detonations

According to eyewitnesses and official police sources, the incident began at approximately 9:00 am on Thursday. Members belonging to the legally prohibited Awami League, along with its banned student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, and its youth affiliate, the Jubo League, assembled in front of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) in Mohakhali.

The group initiated a sudden march, proceeding directly towards the Mohakhali Bus Terminal. As the procession reached the terminal precinct, several female activists from the Mohila League joined the ranks. Upon entering the crowded terminal area, participants detonated four to five crude bombs, creating significant loud explosions that alarmed the public and disrupted local transport operations.

Police Intervention and Legal Actions

Upon receiving reports of the unannounced procession and the subsequent bomb blasts, a team from the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station arrived at the scene. The presence of law enforcement caused the demonstrators to scatter, with the majority fleeing into adjacent alleyways.

During the ensuing pursuit, officers managed to detain four individuals directly from the march, while the remaining demonstrators escaped. Md Mahbubur Rahman, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station, confirmed the details of the operation to the press, stating:

“The Awami League brought out a sudden procession. They detonated four to five crude bombs. Upon receiving the information, the police conducted an operation and detained four individuals from the procession. The others fled. There is one woman among those detained.”

The police administration confirmed that the four detained suspects are currently undergoing preliminary interrogation to ascertain their identities. Authorities have initiated the formal legal process to register a criminal case against the detainees at the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station under the relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act and laws concerning disruptive public actions. Additional police patrols have been deployed near the Mohakhali Bus Terminal to prevent further unrest.

Chronological and Operational Specifications

The specific parameters concerning the prohibited political gathering and subsequent police actions are systematically presented in the table below: