Police have detained at least five suspected leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations for taking part in the party鈥檚 flash processions in the capital Dhaka.
The arrests were made on Friday, said a press release issued by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Saturday.
According to the Tejgaon police, unidentified members of the AL and its affiliates gathered on the road in front of the gate of the Petrobangla office at Karwan Bazar under the Tejgaon police station at 1:45pm on Friday and were preparing for an anti-government procession.
On information, police went to the spot and detained two individuals while the others managed to flee.
A case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act regarding the incident.
The interim government has suspended activities of the Awami League until the trial of its leaders over atrocities during the 2024 July mass uprising that ousted the authoritarian AL regime on August 5 past year.
The Khilgaon police said that they were informed that members of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, who participated in an anti-government flash procession on September 15, were hiding in Khilgaon area.
Acting on the tip-off, police conducted an operation and arrested three individuals from Khilgaon between 5:00pm and 9:00pm on Friday.
These flash processions by the AL and its affiliates continue to take place across the capital.
Meanwhile, three police officials were withdrawn from their posts on Friday on charges of negligence of duty.
The officials who have been withdrawn are DMP assistant commissioner of the Mohammadpur zone under Tejgaon Division Mehedi Hasan, Mohammadpur police station inspector (operations) Abdul Alim, and duty officer SI Masudur Rahman.
The decision was made immediately after the DMP additional commissioner (crime and operations) SN Nazrul Islam visited the Mohammadpur police station for inspection on Friday afternoon.
Evidence of negligence was found reportedly during a political procession of a banned organisation, when the duty officers were reportedly busy eating and resting.
According to the media reports, field-level officers of the DMP are under mounting pressure as flash processions by the AL and its affiliates continue to be held across the capital.
The Bangladesh Police in a post in its verified Facebook page stated on Saturday that administrative action had been taken against the three officials as they did not follow standard operating procedure.
鈥楾he responsibilities, distribution of work, and rest of the police force maintaining law and order during sensitive times are determined by specific SOPs,鈥� the post reads.
鈥楳embers are certainly given the opportunity to eat and rest, but not all on duty get it at the same time. This opportunity is given in stages, so that performing duties remain uninterrupted.鈥�
鈥楢dministrative action has been taken against the three officers because they did not follow the SOP,鈥� it said.