Hasnat Abdullah Urges Post-Jummah Rally to Demand Ban on Awami League

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser for the southern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has called for a mass gathering after Jummah prayers on Friday to demand a ban on the Awami League.

Announcing the programme during an ongoing protest in front of Jamuna—the residence of the interim government’s chief adviser—Hasnat said the rally would be held near the fountain on the east side of the residence. He urged citizens from all political backgrounds to join the demonstration. “We’ve already started building the stage in front of the fountain,” he said. “After Friday prayers, it will be a sea of people. Today they will realise who truly demands the Awami League's ban.” The announcement came around 8:30 am on Friday, following a press conference at the protest site earlier that morning.

The protest, which began at 10:00 pm on Thursday, has continued through the night. By 6:00 am Friday, several hundred NCP activists were seen actively demonstrating, chanting slogans in front of Jamuna.

Around 8:00 am, leaders and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, led by the party’s Dhaka South City Secretary Shafiqul Islam Masud, joined the protest, boosting the crowd. NCP supporters maintained their slogans throughout the night and into the morning, sometimes in unison, sometimes in intervals.

In a brief address at 2:00 am Friday, NCP convener Nahid Islam criticised the interim administration for failing to act. “The interim government’s first duty was to ban the Awami League,” he said. “We’ve voiced this demand both within and outside the government. Now, after nine months, we are once again forced to take to the streets.”

Around 1:00 am, Nahid Islam and NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain arrived with a procession, joined by other central party leaders. The protest later drew support from a range of other organisations. After 1:00 am, activists from Hefazat-e-Islam gathered at the site, followed by AB Party supporters at 1:30 am. Around 2:00 am, central leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir also joined the demonstration in front of Jamuna.