The "Shahbagh Blockade" program continues for a second day, with protesters demanding the ban of the Awami League.
While roads at the Shahbagh intersection remain closed, emergency vehicles, including ambulances, are being allowed to pass.
Earlier, from the night of Thursday, leaders and activists of the National Citizens' Party (NCP) began a sit-in in front of the chief adviser’s residence at Jamuna, demanding the ban. Besides NCP, leaders and activists from Hefazat-e-Islam, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and other Islamist groups joined the protest. By morning, several other parties including Jamaat-e-Islami had also joined.
Hasnat Abdullah and Nasiruddin Patwari announced a rally and protest would be held after Friday prayers on the east side of Jamuna. Islamist leaders also joined them. A stage was constructed using five pickup vans. After the Friday prayers, a large gathering was held, and Hasnat Abdullah then announced the Shahbagh blockade.
At around 4pm, the protesters marched from Jamuna and occupied Shahbagh, where they stayed overnight. The number of protesters decreased slightly around midnight, and although the program paused for a few hours, many remained on the road.
On Saturday morning, protesters began gathering again at Shahbagh. A mass rally is scheduled for 3pm at Shahbagh, continuing the demand to ban the Awami League. It was also reported that similar gatherings will take place across various sites associated with the July uprising.
At around 7:30pm on Friday, NCP convener Nahid Islam posted three demands: declare the Awami League a terrorist organization and ban it; include a provision in the International Crimes Tribunal Act to allow group trials of the Awami League; and issue a declaration of the July uprising.
Later, NCP leaders Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, among others, shared the same post.
In another post, Nahid Islam wrote: “The Shahbagh sit-in will continue. Blockades have begun in various parts of Dhaka. If decisions aren’t made quickly, the entire country will once again march toward Dhaka.”
