The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Sunday evening cleared the Shahbagh crossing by removing barricades as a group of injured victims of the July uprising continued their blockade at the crossing, after the main blockade was withdrawn.
The injured victims of the July uprising set up the blockade to demand an immediate ban on the Bangladesh Awami League, the issuance of a July charter and the assurance of treatment and rehabilitation of the injured victims.
Vehicles started moving through the crossing at about 9:00pm after police removed the barricades without using force.
National Citizen Party chief organiser for South Hasnat Abdullah came to the spot at 7:30pm and told the injured protesters that the blockade was suspended according to a joint decision.
Among the protesters, a group decided to leave the blockade after Hasnat talked to them while another group decided to stay on.聽聽
Addressing those taking part in the blockade, protester Korban Sheikh Hillol said that injured victims joined the blockade in solidarity with Hasnat鈥檚 call for a movement to ban and try the Awami League.
鈥榌But] we have our clear demands 鈥� the Awami League ban, a July charter and the treatment and rehabilitation of the injured victims,鈥� said Hillol, adding that none of their demands was met.
鈥榃e will not leave the street until our demands are met,鈥� said Hillol, also an injured victim of the July uprising.
Another protester Mushfiqur Rahman told 抖阴精品 that the Awami League was not banned, nor a July charter was issued yet.
The government earlier promised to issue a July charter but did not do that, said Mushfiqur, asking, 鈥楬ow can we believe this government now?鈥�
Earlier, at about 4:00am on Sunday, Hasnat suspended the blockade, urging all protesters to return home and stay vigilant about the implementation of the government decisions taken on Saturday night regarding the Awami League鈥檚 trial and ban and the declaration of a July charter.
Nearly 50 injured victims of the uprising and victims鈥� family members, however, refused to leave the blockade, which began on Friday afternoon, and decided to continue it until their demands are met.
Earlier on Saturday night, the interim government decided to ban all kinds of activities of the Awami League until trials of the party and its leaders were completed in the International Crimes Tribunal, amid street protests in Dhaka and other places across the country since May 8.
The council of advisers at an emergency Saturday night meeting also approved amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal Act empowering the ICT to punish any organisation and decided to publish a July charter within the next 30 working days.
Hours after the government decisions on Saturday night, Hasnat announced early Sunday that a celebratory rally will be organised after the government publishes on Monday a gazette notification on the government decisions.
鈥楶rotesters have taken the government decisions regarding the demands as positive,鈥� said Hasnat.
Earlier, demonstrators, led by National Citizen Party leaders Nahid Islam and Hasnat Abdullah, first gathered outside the chief adviser鈥檚 residence on May 8 before moving to the Shahbagh crossing, a hub of political mobilisation in Dhaka, to hold a blockade there to press for their demands against the Awami League.