In the wake of widespread protests against the government in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina’s party is reeling. The Awami League, which was already facing challenges, has seen its position deteriorate since the events of August 5th last year, when a coup forced Sheikh Hasina to leave the country. The party is currently banned.
General elections are planned for 2026. Despite the ban, the Awami League continues to organize, holding processions in Dhaka. A recent unsanctioned procession in the Shyamoli area on September 16th led to the arrest of numerous participants. The police have detained a significant number of individuals during these Awami League events.
A police report reveals that 44,472 people were arrested between August 5th of the previous year and September 3rd of the current year. This represents a massive crackdown, with over 44,000 Awami League workers taken into custody in just 13 months. A large majority of these individuals, 32,371, have been granted bail.
According to police sources, the arrests relate to various incidents, including involvement in anti-government demonstrations, participation in processions, and activities deemed hostile to the state following the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Some of those arrested are officials within the party, while others are accused of being supporters of the Awami League or the government.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) reports that 97 cases have been filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act concerning illegal activities by the Awami League and its affiliates. These cases resulted in 1,123 arrests, with 403 of those arrested already released on bail.
On September 24th, police were alerted to another planned Awami League march and responded by deploying officers across the city. A subsequent ‘flash march’ led to the arrest of 244 more people.
The Chittagong range saw the most arrests related to Awami League activities, with 7,823 arrests recorded over 13 months. A total of 6,275 people, representing 80% of those arrested, were granted bail in Chittagong. The lowest number of arrests occurred in the Sylhet range, with 1,398 arrests. The majority, 1,174 (approximately 84%) of those arrested in Sylhet, were also granted bail.
Arrests and Bail Statistics by Division:
Dhaka: 7,355 arrests, 4,806 (65%) granted bail
Rajshahi: 5,018 arrests, 4,221 (84%) granted bail
Khulna: 5,992 arrests, 4,554 (76%) granted bail
Barisal: 1,776 arrests, 1,555 (88%) granted bail
Rangpur: 3,891 arrests, 2,714 (70%) granted bail
Mymensingh: 3,036 arrests, 1,443 (48%) granted bail
A meeting was held to discuss the rapid granting of bail. A four-member committee was established on September 14th, under the leadership of a joint secretary from the Home Ministry, to monitor the bail process. The committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Law, the Attorney General’s office, and the police. The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding the granting of bail in anti-terrorism cases.