Hasnat Urges Protesters to Avoid Blocking Highways Beyond Shahbagh

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organizer for the Southern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has urged protesters to refrain from blocking highways outside Dhaka’s Shahbagh area.

His appeal came as NCP leaders, joined by various political and student groups, staged a blockade at Shahbagh on Friday afternoon, demanding a ban on the Awami League.

In a post from his verified Facebook profile early Saturday, Hasnat emphasized that the blockade should remain limited to Shahbagh. “Do not enforce blockades on highways in Dhaka or across the country, except at Shahbagh,” he wrote.

While discouraging road blockades elsewhere, he encouraged peaceful assemblies in district towns. “Gather spontaneously in the districts, hold rallies. But no blockades. Remove the blockades,” he added.

Later that morning, Hasnat released further details of the day’s planned activities. He announced a mass gathering of students and citizens at Shahbagh from 3 PM, along with sit-ins at designated “July spots” across the country.

The protests are centered on three core demands: the declaration of the Awami League as a terrorist organization and its subsequent ban, amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal Act to allow collective trials of the party, and the formal issuance of the “July Declaration.”