Police detained one person after a group attempted to hold a procession under the banner of the Dhaka North unit of Swechchhasebak League in Uttara, the capital, on Friday morning.
The incident took place at around 7:45am on 28 August near the Jasim Uddin area along the Gazipur-Dhaka highway. According to eyewitnesses, several activists gathered in the area and attempted to start a procession carrying a banner bearing the name of Anisur Rahman Naim, general secretary of Dhaka North Swechchhasebak League and a former councillor of Dhaka North City Corporation.
The group reportedly raised various slogans as they prepared to move along the busy highway area. Their gathering, however, did not continue for long.
Police arrived at the scene after receiving information about the attempted procession. As officers approached, the participants reportedly dispersed and began moving in different directions. Police then chased the group and detained one person. Posters and a banner were recovered from him at the time of the arrest, according to police.
The identity of the detained person was not immediately disclosed. Police also did not provide details about whether any formal case had been filed against him or whether further arrests were expected.
Morshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Uttara East Police Station, confirmed the incident. He said some Swechchhasebak League activists had gathered in the area and that police went to the spot after receiving information about the gathering.
“When police arrived and chased them, they dispersed,” the officer said. He added that one person was detained while carrying posters and a banner.
The incident occurred in a strategically important part of the capital, where the Gazipur-Dhaka highway carries heavy traffic, particularly during the morning hours. Any political gathering or procession in the area can quickly affect movement along the road and attract the attention of law-enforcement agencies.
The attempted procession also comes amid heightened political activity in Dhaka, with law-enforcement agencies maintaining close watch over public gatherings and street programmes. Police have continued to respond to unauthorised attempts to organise processions or rallies in different parts of the capital in an effort to maintain public order.
Officials have yet to provide further details about the circumstances surrounding Friday morning’s gathering or the legal steps, if any, that will follow the detention.
